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Maryland Historical Society's - 



.CENTENNIAL MEMORIAL. 




JOURNAL 



Charles Carroll of Carrollton, 

During his Visit to Canada in 

• • • • 

17 7 6. 



Memorial Contribution 



FROM THE 



Maryland Historical Society, 



CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION 



National Independence 



OF THE 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 



July 4th, 1876, 







siii^ffiass 'SAff^m®aa ®^€AsiE(i)a.a.^'#is'< 



JOURNAL 



Charles Carroll of Carrollton, 



DURING HIS 



Visit to Canada in 1776, 



As One of the Commissioners from Congress; 



WITH A MEMOIR AND NOTES. 



By BRANTZ MAYEiy<;il?;7.^^ 






^>. ^:i 




Printed by John Murphy, 
For the Maryland Historical Society, 

Baltimore, May, 187 G. 



-hX 






The Maryland Historical Society wishing to bring a proper 
oflFering to the first Centennial Celebration of our National Inde- 
dendence, resolved, for that purpose, to reprint a Journal of 
Charles Carroll of Carrollton, of Maryland, signer of the Decla- 
ration of Independence. The original manuscript of this record 
is kept in the Archives of the Society as a precious gift from 
the descendants of its illustrious author. 

The Journal was written by Mr. Carroll, in 1776, during a 
journey to Canada with Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, 
and Samuel Chase of Maryland, members of Congress, and, — 
jointly with Mr. Carroll, — its delegated Commissioners to try 
the feeling, and, if possible, to stir up the Canadians. By the 
request of Congress the Reverend John Carroll, cousin of 
Charles Carroll of Carrollton, and afterwards, the first Roman 
Catholic Archbishop of the United States, accompanied these 
gentlemen on their grave and delicate errand. 

The undersigned were named by the Society to carry out its 
wishes ; and with great respect, they oflFer this book as a patriotic 
memorial — showing that, at the end of one hundred years of 
National life, Maryland is loyal to the men and memories of 1776. 

BRANTZ MAYER, 
WILLIAM H. CORNER, 
JOHN J. JACOBSEN, 

Co7ninitfce of ihe. Maryland Historical Society. 

Baltimore, Maryland, 1 May, 1876. 



i:n^tjioductoey memoir 



U P O X T II K 



EXPEDITION TO CANADA 



1 7 7 5-17 70. 



T 



ClIAI'TER I. 

rOHAT long line of lakes and rivers which flow 
southeast wardly across our continent, and 
empty into the Atlantic through the gulf of 
Saint Lawrence, seems to form a natural barrier 
between two nations, marking tlieir geographical 
limits if it did net also bound difterent races. 
And such, in fact, was really the case with a part 
of this extensive chain, until the peace of Paris in 
1763, when Canada, after the victory of Wolfe, 
passed from the dominion of France to that of the 
British crown. 

In March, 176(3, the stamp act was repealed; 
l)ut the English ministry, foiled in its iirst attempt 
2 9 



10 Introductory Memoir. 

on the liberties of tlie American colonies, seemed 
determined to tease and worry tliem into rebel- 
lion. Taxation by dnties was laid in 1767, and 
Maryland at onc3 took ground against the imposi- 
tion. Associations for "non importation" were 
speedily formed; but, after existing for a while, 
they were abandoned, and local discontents arose 
in our state that exasperated the people's feelings 
against Ministerial oj^pressions, until they were 
ripe for the revolt that ultimately broke out.^ 

Amonust the earliest demonstrations of a dis- 
position on the part of the colonists to resort to 
violence, was the attack upon the newly ceded 
province of Canada. 

The expedition that was sent to the north was 
deemed, by some persons, of questionable policy, 
and not a few of our people thought it entirely 
subversive of the principles upon which we 
grounded our resistance. It might naturally, 
they alleged, be regarded as a ivar of conquest, 
and, as such, was entirely at variance with the 
s})irit of our discontent. 

Such, however, was not a just view of the case. 
The boundary of the lakes to wliicli we have 
alluded, formed, in reality, no boundary to British 
rule, for the sway of the Anglo-Saxon race was 
now fully established over the whole of the north- 

1 See ]Mc:\[alioii'.s History of Maryland, V(»l. i, i). 380. 



Intkoductoky Memoir. 11 

ern part of the continent. It was obviously 
proper, therefore, to detract, if possibk\ from the 
power of our assaihmts to harm us on the great 
watery highway of the hikes and rivers, or to 
present such an united force of coh)nial and pro- 
vincial inhabitants as might counterbalance, in 
a great measure, the pertinacious loyalists who 
were disposed to discountenance our appeals for 
justice. For it will be remembered, that before 
the declaration of our national independence, the 
Avarfare was neither against the throne nor the 
laws of England, but against a reckless and o})- 
pressive ministry.^ 

In taking adwnitaiie, therefore, of this o-eneral 
desire to enlist the whole of the British sulrjects 
in America in the preser^'ation of their pri^ ileges, 
efforts were justly and fairly made to obtain 
possession of the keys of the lakes and of the 
St. Lawrence at Quebec and ]Montreal. 

As Sir Guy Carleton had manifested a strong- 
disposition to sustain the ministry against the 
people, it was hoped that liis efforts would tlius 
bo neutralized, and an unbr(»ken front of tirm and 
resisting freemen presented to the cabinet and 
parliament. 

Canada was a pro^■ince whose citizens had not 
yet coalesced with the English. In the debate on 

1 See Col. Reed's letter to Washington, and Washington's reply.— 
WasJiingion's Writuir/s^ vol. iii, p. 317. 



12 Intkoductoky Memoir. 

tlie Canada bill, in 1774, the widest latitnde of 
opinion was expressed as to the proper govern- 
ment and laws for the conquered province, and 
the most lamentable ignorance was displayed as 
to the character and temper of the people.^ 

Under the French the spirit of the government 
had been military. Conquest was the chief object, 
and the desire of the authorities w^as to command 
the lakes, to control the territories on the Ohio, 
and thus, descending the Mississippi to Louisiana, 
to embrace the great internal resources of this 
ciuitinent by two gigantic arms, one of which 
should rest on the St. Lawrence whilst the other 
c;:)ntr(dled the Gulf of Mexico. Canada, therefore, 
w^as the citadel and nursery of their troops. Large 
detachments were sent every year to the Ohio and 
to other interior parts of IN^orth America, and, by 
these annual campaigns, the province was drained 
of its blood and energy. The people had no time 
for settlement and its peaceful results. Marriages 
were prevented, and numbers perished in the toil- 
some services to which they w^ere de^^oted among 
the savages of the remote wilderness. But, after 
the conquest l)y Great Britain, the aspect of affairs 
Avas changed. The government became one of 
peace, and the inhabitants — not greatly augmented 
in numbers by emigration — were permitted to 

1 Sec CavcudUh's Debutes on the Canada LiU in 1774. 



Intkoductoky Memoik. ' 13 

cultivate their lands, Avliilst the judges took care 
not to interfere essentially with their laws and 
customs.^ Besides this, the policy of England 
towards Canada was wise in another respect. In 
October, 17(33, a royal proclamation was made, by 
which the province of Quebec was limited and 
bounded; and on the 13th of June, 1774, parlia- 
ment passed the "Quebec act," by which those 
limits were enlarged, and his majesty's subjects 
professing the religion of the church of Rome, 
were guarantied the free exercise of their worship, 
whilst their priests were protected in the full dis- 
charge of all their functions. 

Thus Canada, though a quad foreign country, 
w^as a contented one, and it behooved our states- 
men to take heed lest her people, still alive to 
their ancient military glory, might annoy or dis- 
tract our frontier. The warfare, therefore, that we 
waged within her borders, was one, in fact, of 
political propagandism, in which the people, un- 
fortunately for themselves as the seipiel proved, 
took but little interest. 

We will not dwell on the successes of our troops 
in Canada up to the spring of 177(3. So many 
Avorks lia^e been written on the history of that 
period and on the biography of the eminent men 
who led oixv armies, that it would be useless, in 

1 Sec " Debutes," &c., jip. lOi, 103. 



14 Intkoductory Memoie. 

this sketch, to ^c^'iew the earlier part of our cam- 
paign. 

But after the successes of Arnold and Allen at 
Ticonderoga and Crown Point, the former of these 
officers pushed on towards Quebec through the 
wilderness. By the capture of a small fleet at 
Sorel, nnder General Prescott, the Americans had 
gained command of the St. Lawrence above Que- 
bec, and, as all the British posts in Canada were 
under our control, except the capital, that now 
became the object of eager enterprise.^ 

On the 31st of December, 1775, Montgomery 
stormed that stronghold, and tell in the attack. 
Our troops were unsuccessful in eflPecting a lodg- 
ment; but Arnold, on whom the command de- 
volved, sat down resolutely before the capital, in 
the depth of wdnter, and with the small remnant 
of his troops besieged a Ministerial army of nearly 
double his number. 

Reinforcements were sent to our colonial general, 
who had ])een immediately promoted for his gal- 
lantry, and troops that carried their own provisions 
during a perilous march on snow shoes, through 
the forests, reached him from A'ermont, Xew 
Hampshire, and ]Massachusetts. 

With this fragmentary, nndisciplined, ill-fed, 
and miserable array, he kept his ground until 

1 See Spiii-ks's Life of Arnold. 



Introductory Memoir. 1') 

spring. Meanwhile, Wooster liad quietly rested 
durino- the leno- and severe winter, in the secure 
and undisputed Montreal. "A state of repose," 
says Mr. Sparks, "which his countrymen were not 
prepared to expect from a man who had gained the 
reputation of a bold and active otficer in the last 
war."^ 

However, on the 1st of April, 1770, he left his 
winter (piarters for Quel)ec, and, as he outranked 
Arnold, took command immediately on his arri\'al. 
Arnold, who was no doubt discontented at not 
being permitted to continue in authority at a sea- 
son when he might have struck a daring and 
etfectual blow, forthwith departed for ]Montreal, 
and left this weak and injudicious oihcer to con- 
duct the siege. - 

C-anada w^as thus, in fact, in the possession of our 
colonial troops, yet the tenure was rather nominal 
than real. It was a conflict between the iiulifarf/ on 
both sides, whilst flie people of the province — the 
subject matter of all available controversy — had as 
yet manifested no ardent desire to join us. 

Such was the state of things early in the memo- 
rable year of '76. But the feeble grasp with which 
we held that remote province Avas not long to l)e 
continued. On the first of April, Col. Ilazen, who 

1 See Sparks's Life of Arnold, p. 55. 

2 See Mr. Carroll's Journal, of the 2otli of May, and note, for tl;e 
Commissionors' opinion of Wooster's conduct in Canada. 



1() Intkojjuctoky Memoik. 

had taken cominaiid at JNEoiitreal, on tlic departure 
of General Wooster, and before the a^^i^•al of 
Arnohl, thus wrote to General Schuyler: 

"You are not unacquainted with the friendly 
disposition of the Canadians when General Mont- 
gomery tirst penetrated into the country. The 
ready assistance they ga^e on all occasions, by 
men, carriages, or i)ro^'isions, was most remark- 
able. Even when he was before Quebec, many 
parishes otfered their services in tlie reduction of 
that fortress, which were at that time thought 
unnecessary. But his most unfortunate fate, added 
to other incidents, has caused such a change in 
their disposition, that we no longer look upon 
tliem as friends, but, on the contrary, as waiting 
an ojiportunity to join our enemies. That no 
observations of my own mny remain obscure, 1 
beg leave to obser^"e that I think the clergy, or 
guardians of the souls and conductors of the bodies 
of these enthusiasts, have been neglected, perhaps, 
in some instances, ill used. Be that as it will, they 
are unaniun)us, though privately, against our cause, 
and I have too much reason to fear that many of 
them, with other people of some consequence, have 
carried on a correspondence the whole winter with 
General Carleton in Quebec, and are now plotting 
our destruction. The peasantry in general have 
been ill used. They have, in some instances, been 
dragooned with tlu^ point of the bayonet to su])ply 



Introductory Memoir. 17 

wood for the garrison at a lower rate than tlie 
current price. For carriages and many other 
articles furnished, illegible certilicates have been 
given without signature; the one-half, of conse- 
quence, rejected by the quartermaster-general. It 
is true, payment has been promised from time to 
time; yet they look upon such promises as vague, 
their labor and property lost, and the congress or 
United Colonies bankrupt. And, in a more mate- 
rial point, they have not seen sufficient force in the 
country to protect them. These matters furnish 
very strong arguments to be made use of by our 
enemies. With respect to the better sort of people, 
both French and English, seven-eighths are tories, 
who would wish to see our throats cut, and perhaps 
would readily assist in doing it. 

"You may remember, sir, in a conversation with 
you at Albany, I urged the necessity of sending 
immediately to Canada able generals, a respectable 
army, a committee of congress, a suitable supply of 
hard cash, and a printer. Indeed, I had before 
represented those measures in person to congress, 
at least, to the committee of congress, and w^e have 
since been flattered, from time to time, that Ave 
should have one or all of these essentials."^ 

The commissioners, alluded to by Colonel Hazen, 
had already been a[)pointvMl by congress; and, on 

1 Soo Washington'^ AVritings, vol, iii, p. 3CI, note. 

3 



18 Introductory Memoir. 

the day subsequent to the date of his letter, liad 
departed from the city of New York on their way 
to Montreal. 

On the 15th of February, '76, it was "Resolved 
that a committee of three — two of whom to be 
members of congress — be appointed to repair to 
Canada, there to pursue such instructions as shall 
be given them by that body."^ 

Dr. Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Chase, and 
Chas. Carroll of Carrollton,'^ were chosen for 
this purpose (the two first named being members), 
and, by a sj^ecial resolution, the last mentioned 
gentleman was desired "to prevail on Mr. John 
Carroll to accompany the committee to Canada 
to assist them in such matters as they shall think 
useful." 

This gentleman, who afterwards became tlie first 
Roman Catholic Archbishop of the United States, 
had already received holy orders in Europe. He 
was a Jesuit of distinguished theological attain- 
ments, and was celebrated for his amiable manners 
and polished address. Both of the Carrolls were 
educated in Europe, and had formed connections of 
the most intimate kind with the people of the old 
world. The Rev. John Carroll had been private 

J Se3 Journals of Congress, vol. ii, p. 62, edition of 1800. 

2 Charles Carroll of Carrollton was elected a member of the Congress 
by the Maryland Convention on the 4th of Jul}', 177G, and took his seat 
on the 18th. Ho signed the Declaration of Independence on the 12th of 
August, 177G. 



Introductory Memoir. 19 

tutor ill the family of Lord Stourton, with whom 
ho made the tour of Europe after the dissolution of 
the Jesuits, and might, therefore, have been sup- 
posed to lean to the side of loyalty; but all the 
members of his family had early manifested their 
partiality for the colonies. Mr. Charles Carroll of 
of Carrollton, also a Roman Catholic, after iinish- 
ing his studies in the Temple and returning to 
Maryland, had distinguished himself by his con- 
troversy with Daniel Dulany, the great legal 
luminary of Maryland, on the proclamation and 
vestry questions,^ and had intimated his resolution 
to sustain his native land against the oppressions 
of the mother country. The one was an humble 
but learned clergyman; the other an independent 
lawyer of ample fortune and promising talents; 
but both staked, at once, their lives and honor on 
the issues of the day, and were thus prepared to 
take conspicuous parts in the approaching revo- 
lution. 

Whilst congress was anxious to aid the cool 
judgment of Franklin l)y the intrepidity of Chase 
and the courtly address of Carroll, it went still 
further, and requested the polished churchman to 
unite himself with the expedition, "and assist the 
commissioners in such things as they might think 
useful." The object of this, although not entered 

1 See McMahon's History of IMuryland, vol. i, p. 388, and Green's 
Gazette, 177o. 



-0 Introductoky Memoir. 

on the journals of congress or expressed in any 
formal preamble to the resolutions, is perfectly 
evident. In the debates on the Canada bill, in 
1774, we are informed that there were one hun- 
dred and fifty thousand Catholics, and only three 
hundred and sixty Protestants within the govern- 
ment of the province of Quebec,^ and it was 
therefore believed that one of the surest means 
of prompt success with such a mass of Roman 
Catholics, was to show them, by influential men 
of their own creed, that their brethren over the 
border, were up in arms and ready to do battle 
in defence of religious and political liberty. Three 
of these representatives came from a province ori- 
ginally founded by tolerant Catholics, who had 
received a tolerant charter even from a bigoted 
king.^ 

"We have seen that the Eev. Mr. Carroll was an 
undoubted patriot, agreeing with the liberals in all 
their views; yet it might be asserted that he was 

1 See Debutes, &c., p. 103. 

2 We liold the opinion that no act could have been legally passed by 
our colonial legislature in Maryland, in conformity with the charter of 
Charles, that was not tolerant in its character to all religionists. Our 
opinion is founded on a clause in the twenty-second section of that instru- 
ment, which declares that the charter shall be expounded always in the 
most favorable and beneficial manner for the benefit of Lord Baltimore, 
his heirs and assigns, — " Proviso semper quod nulla fiat interpretatio per 
quam sacro-sancta Dei et vera Christiana religlo aut Ligeantia nobis 
ha?redibus et sucoessoribus nostris debita immutatione prejudicio vel dis- 
pendio in aliquo patiantur eo quod expressa mentis,'' &c. 

Broad Christianiiij alone is here referred to, and that was not to suHer 
by "change, prejudice, or diminution.'' 



Introductory Memoir. 21 

not instilled in joining an expedition tliat would 
kindle the flame of religious war on the Catholic 
frontier. Such, certainly, was also Mr. Carroll's 
opinion, and he felt, as deeply as any man m 
the colonies that religion should never become an 
auxiliary of strife, and that it was his duty, as a 
clergyman, to allay, if possible, the angry spirit of 
the times and to prevail on the disaffected subjects 
of Britain to maintain their allegiance l»y present- 
ing a bold front to Ministerial misrule. 

In order, therefore, to estimate the delicacy of 
jNIr. Carroll's position, we must recollect that at 
the period when congress required his services, the 
prospect of reconciliation with the king was not 
entirely shut out. Appeals, protests, and remon- 
strances had been tried in vain. All the ordinary 
etforts of 'i)eysucmon had failed to produce redress. 
In such a state of things it would seem but reason- 
able that a patriotic priest, who regarded his duty 
to his country as next to that he owed to (lod, and 
who was zealous for the religious as well as the 
p(ditical freedom of his 1)rethren. should seize upon 
so favorable an occasion to render service of last- 
ing value to the large, conquered mass of Canadian 
Catholics. He was, perhaps, about to obtain a 
boon for himself; he desired that others should 
participate in its benefits. And he naturally felt 
anxious that, when civil and religious liberty were 
for ever secured to the colonies, the subjects north 



22 Introductory Memoir. 

of the lakes sliould, at the same time, obtain a 
permanent concession of fair and equal laws. 

Mr. Carroll was, therefore, very properly desir- 
ous to identify Canada with our struggle or to 
procure her neutrality; as, from her imposing size, 
her commanding geographical position, her foreign 
population, and her recent disruption from France, 
— her resolved attitude of defiance or indifference 
would, in all probability, strike terror into the 
minds of the headstrong Ministry; and thus, by 
opposing the formidable animosity of a United 
Continent, w^e should gain our ends and nip the 
war in its ripening bud.^ Mr. Carroll's views, 
therefore, w^ere eminently pacific, and their wis- 
dom has since been fully proved. The colonies 
obtained their independence, whilst Canada re- 
mains a discontented, refractory province of the 
British empire.^ 



1 See the Baltimore U. S. Catholic Magazine, vol. iv, page 251, and 
Brent's Biography of Archbishop Carroll, p. GO. 

2 One of the writer's earliest recollections is of tlie funeral of this 
excellent prelate, which was celebrated with great pomp at Baltimore, in 
1815, and attended by citizens of all Christian denominations. The loss 
of Archbishop Carroll was not a loss alone to the church over which he 
presided and which he maj' be said to have founded in the United States. 
Men of all creeds loved him, for his life had been one of tolerance, charity, 
and affection. His career, as priest and prelate, had been conceived in 
that spirit of Christian moderation which, whilst it upheld firmly the 
truth and efficacy of his own creed, still regarded the professors of other 
forms as entitled to a liberal and unbigotcd consideration. This good 
bishop, who was long mourned, and will be long remembered by Mary- 
landers, died in this city, at the age of eighty, on the 3d of December, 
1S15. 



Introductory Memoir. 23 

It is worthy of special note tliat Dr. Franklin, 
who now, at the advanced age of seventy, was sent 
on this fatiguing journey to wrest Canada from 
England or neutralize it, had been seventeen years 
before, one of the first to urge its conquest upon 
the mother country. When he was in London in 
1759, although he had no interviews with the 
minister, his conversation on American affairs 
was always respectfully heeded by men in power, 
and "it has been said on good authority," declares 
Mr, Sparks, "that the expedition against Canada, 
and its consequences in the victory of Wolfe at 
Quebec and the conquest of that country, may be 
chiefly ascribed to Franklin. He disapproved the 
policy, by which the ministry had hitherto been 
guided, of carrying on the war against the French 
in the heart of Germany, where, if successful, it 
would end in no real gain to the British nation, 
and no essential loss to the enemy. In all compa- 
nies and on all occasions, he urged the reduction 
of Canada as an object of the utmost importance. 
It would inflict a blow upon the French power in 
America from which it could never recover, and 
which would have a lasting influence in ad\'anc- 
ing the prosperity of the British Colonies. These 
sentiments he conveyed to the minister's friends, 
with such remarks on the practicability of the 
enterprise, and the manner of conducting it, as 
his intimate knowledo-e of the state of tliiuL'S 



24 Introductory Memoir. 

in America enabled him to commnnicate. They 
made the impression lie desired, and the resnlt 
verified his prediction."^ 

The same ripe judgment that discerned the im- 
portance of Canada for England, in order to give 
her control over the lakes and the west, adopted 
it for the colonies also, and thus Franklin was 
discreetly selected for this responsible mission. 



Chapter II. 

Ox the 2d of April, 1776, Franklin, Chase, 
and the Carrolls, properly equipped for so fatigu- 
ing a journey of more than four hundred miles, 
departed from the city of ]^ew York in a sloop 
for Albany. 

These gentlemen had, of course, been didy com- 
missioned by congress "to promote or to form a 
union between the colonies and the people of 
Canada;" and on the 20th of March, they re- 
ceived their ample instructions. 

They were told to represent to the Canadians 
that the arms of the United Colonies had been 
carried into that province for the purpose of frus- 

1 Sparks's Writings, vol. i, pp. 248, 257. 



Inteoductoky Memoir. 25 

trating the designs of tlie British court against 
our common lil)erties; that wc expected not only 
to defeat the hostile machinations of Governor 
Carleton against us, but that we should put it 
in the power of our Canadian brethren to pursue 
such measures for securing their own freedom 
and happiness as a generous love of liberty and 
sound policy should dictate to them. 

They were desired to inform them tliat, in the 
judgment of congress, their interest and that of 
the colonies were inseparably united. That it was 
impossible we could be reduced to a servile sub- 
mission to Great Britain without their sharing in 
our fate; and, on the other liaiul, if we obtained, 
as we doubted not we should, a full establishment 
f>f our rights, it depended wholly on then' choice, 
whether they would participate with us in those 
blessings, or still remain subject to every act of 
tyranny which British ministers should please to 
exercise over them. 

They were told to urge all such arguments as 
their prudence suggested to enforce our opinion 
concerning the mutual interests of the two coun- 
tries, and to convince them of the impossibility 
of the war being concluded to the disadvantage 
of the colonies, if we wisely and vigorously co- 
operated with each other. To convince them of 
the uprightness of our intentions towards them, 
they were to declare that it was the inclination 
4 



26 Inteoductory Memoir. 

of congress that the people of Canada should set 
up such a form of government as would he most 
likely, in their judgment, to promote their happi- 
ness. And they were, in the strongest terms, to 
assure them that it was our earnest desire to adopt 
them into our union as a sister colony, and to 
secure the same system of mild and equal laws 
for them and for ourselves, with only such local 
difterences as might be agreeable to each colony 
respectively. 

They were to assure the Canadians that we had 
no apprehension that the French would take anij jtart 
with (xreat Britain ; hut that it was their interest, and, 
ive had reason to believe, their inclination, to cultivate a 
friendly intercourse with these colonies. 

From this and such other reasons as might 
appear most proper, they were charged to urge 
the necessity the people were under of immedi- 
ately taking some decisive step to put themselves 
within the protection of the United Colonies. For 
expediting such a measure, they Avere to explain 
our method of collecting the sense of the people 
and conducting our affairs regularly by committees 
of observation and inspection in the several dis- 
tricts, and by conventions and committees of safety 
in the several colonies. These modes were to be 
recommended to them. The nature and principles 
of government among freemen were to be fully 
explained, developing, in contrast to these, the 



1 NTKO DUCTOK Y ]MeM( ) I K . 27 

ba.se, cruel, and insidious designs involved in the 
late act of parliament for making a more effectual 
provision for the government of the province of 
Quebec.^ Motives of glory and interest were to 
bo proposed as stimulants to the Canadians to 
unite in a contest Ijy Avhicli they must be deeply 
affected, and fhet/ were to he taiKjlit to aspire to a 
portion of that power !)>/ which the)/ were ruled, and 
not to remain the mere spoils and pre// of their eon- 
(pierors. 

They were directed, further, to declare that we 
held sficred the rit/hts of conscience; and should promise 
to the whole people, solemnhj, in, the name of congress^ 
the free and undisturhed exercise of their reJifton; and. 
to the cJer;/)/ the full, perfect, and peaceahle possession 
and enjoyment of all their estates: — thett the qovern- 
ment of every thinr/ relative to their creed and clerqy 
should he left, entirely, in the hands of the (jood people 
of that province, and such leftslature as they should 
constitute: provided, however, that all other denominrf- 
tions of Christians should he equally entitled to hold 
offices, ajid enjoy civil privileffes and the free exercise 
of their relirfion, as ivell ((s he totally exempt from the 
payment of any tithes or taxes for the support of re- 
ligion. 

They were desired to press for a couAention of 
the people, a, speedy organization of government, 

1 The "Quebec act,"' passed June, 1774. 



28 Introductory Memoir. 

and union witli the colonies. The terms of the 
union shouhl be simihir to those of the other 
colonies; and, if our terms were acceded to, they 
were to promise our defence of the Canadians 
against all enemies. 

A free iiress ivas to he esfahlislied, and the com- 
missioners were to settle all disputes betwixt the 
C'anadians and continental troops. They were to 
reform all abuses, to enforce peace and good order, 
and were empowered to sit and vote in councils of 
war; to erect or demolish fortifications, and to 
suspend military officers from the exercise of their 
commissions until the pleasure of congress should 
be known. 

In additional instructions, they were empowered 
and directed to encourage the trade of Canada with 
the Indians, and to assure the Canadians that their 
foreign commerce should be put on the same footing 
as that of the United Colonies.^ 

Armed with their commission aiul these instruc- 
tions, our travellers departed, as we have seen, on 
the 2d of April, from the city of Xew York; but it 
was not until the 29th — nearly a month afterwards 
— that they reached their destination at Montreal. 
The details of this ex^^edition will be found in the 
accompanying diary of Mr. Carroll of Carrollton, 
and the reader can not fail to be pleased with 

1 See these instructions at largo in the Amor. Archive?, vol. v, p. 411. 



Introductory Memoir. 29 

the patient and intercepting narvative of the jour- 
nalist. 

It seems from this document, and the corres- 
])ondence of Franklin, that the Doctor remained 
in INIontreal until the 11th of :\Iay, — a few days 
only after the abandonment of Quebec by our 
tvoops, — and was joined, on the following morn- 
ing, by the Rev. ]Mr. John C'arroU at St. Johns. 
Dr. Franklin's health had sultered greatly by the 
journey, and he soon perceived that his efforts in 
C'anada would be of no avail. On the contrary, 
he saw that public opinion was setting strongly 
against the colonies, that the army was in a 
wretched condition, that the mouth of the 8t. 
Lawrence was lost, and that powerful reinforce- 
ments would probably soon arrive from abroad. 
He therefore left C'anada to younger and more 
hopeful men, and departed with his clerical friend, 
who had been equally unsuccessful. 

The object of this mission was doubtless two- 
fold: first, to induce the Catholics to join us, or 
remain neutral; and secondly, to make sucli 
military demonstrations as would secure us the 
province in sinte of its p^'ople. To the first of 
these objects the Rev. Mr. Carroll immediately 
addressed himself, and it seems that, within ten 
days after his arrival in Montreal, all his diplo- 
macy proved ineifectual. 



30 IXTKODUCTORY MeMOIK. 

"While the commissioners were applying them- 
selves," says Mr. Campbell in his excellent me- , 
moir/ "with their characteristic ardor to the 
fulfilment of their trust, the Rev. Mr. Carroll, 
whose exertions were of a ditferent character, was 
diligently employed in visiting the clergy, and 
conferring with individuals among them. He ex- 
plained to them the nature of the differences 
between England and the United Colonies, show- 
ino" that the resistance of the latter was caused 
by invasions of their charters, and violations of 
w^ell known and long recognized principles of the 
British constitution. To this the clergy replied 
that, since the acquisition of Canada by the British 
government, its inhabitants had no agressions to 
complain of; that, on the contrary, government 
had faithfully complied with all the stipulations 
of the treaty, and had in fact sanctioned and pro- 
tected the ancient laws and customs of Canada, 
even so far as to allow the French judicial or- 
ganization and forms of law, with a delicacy 
that demanded their respect and gratitude. The 

1 See Life; and Times of Archbishop Carroll, by B. U. Campbell. — 
U. S. Catholic Magazine, vol. iii, p. 244, &c. 

Mr. Campbell states, in a letter to mo, that "the part taken by the 
Eev. Mr. Carroll in Canada was communicated to him by Dr. Fenvvick, 
bishop of Boston, a personal friend of Archbishop Caroll, who, in a 
visit to Canada, met an aged Canadian priest who had seen Dr. Carroll 
there, and gave Dr. Fenwick an account of what passed between Dr. 
Carroll and the Canadian clergy, with his disapprobation of the course of 
Dr. Carroll in endeavoring to enlist the Catholic clergy on the side of the 
United Colonics." 



Introductory Memoir. 31 

Rev. Mr. Carroll then represented to tlieni that 
congress had expressly stipnlated that if the Cana- 
dians wonld nnite "with the colonies in the asser- 
tion of their constitutional rights, their religion, 
its institutions, and the property of the religious 
orders and communities should he protected and 
guarantied; and that Catholics, instead of being 
merely tolerated as by England, should lia\ e equal 
rights with the professors of all other religions. 
To these assurances the Canadians replied that, on 
the score of religious liberty, the British goveri:- 
ment had left them nothing to complain of or to 
desire; that they were then in possession of all the 
ecclesiastical property which they had held at the 
time of the cession of Canada, that their numerous 
and important missions were flourishing, and their 
religious societies felt entire confidence in the pro- 
tection of the government, whose officers carried 
their courtesy and respect so far as to pay military 
honors to the public religious exercises, a conspicu- 
ous evidence of which was, that the government 
actually furnished a military escort to accompany 
the grand processions on the festival of Corpus 
Christi. And, therefore, that upon the well estab- 
lished principle that allegiance is due to protection, 
the clergy could not teach that neutrality was con- 
sistent with the allegiance due to such ample 
protection as (h-eat Britain had shown the Cath- 
olics of Canada. 



32 Introductory Memoir. 

"The judicioiLS and liberal policy of the Briti.sh 
government to the Catholics had succeeded in 
inspiring them with sentiments of loyalty, which 
the conduct of the people and the public bodies 
of some of the United Colonies had served to 
strengthen and confirm. It was remembered, and 
stated to the Rev. Mr. Carroll, that in the colo- 
nies whose liberality he was now avouching, the 
Catholic religion had not been tolerated hitherto. 
Priests were excluded under severe penalties, and 
Catholic missionaries among the Indians rudely 
and cruelly treated. His explanation that these 
harsh measures were tlie result, in a great part, 
of the laws of the royal government, did not 
satisfy the Canadians of the favorable dispositions 
of those who, though prompt and valiant in the 
defence of their political rights, had never mani- 
fested a correspondent sensibility in support of 
the sacred rights of conscience when Catholics 
were concerned. The friends of the royal govern- 
ment had assiduously pointed out inconsistencies 
between the address of the continental congress to 
the people of Great Britain and that addressed to 
the people of Canada. 

"By the 'Quebec act,' passed by parliament, it 
was provided that his majesty's subjects professing 
the religion of the church of Rome, of and in the 
said province of Quebec, may have, hold, and 
enjov the free exercise of the religion of the 



Introductory Memoir. 33 

chureli of Rome, &e., and that the clergy of the 
said church may hohl, receive, and enjoy their 
accustomed dues and rights, with respect to such 
persons only as shall profess the said religion. 
They were also excused from taking the oath re- 
quired hy the statute of 1st Elizabeth, or any 
other oath substituted by other acts in the place 
thereof, &c. 

''Unfortunately, the address of congress to the 
people of Great Britain, adopted the 21st of Oc- 
tober, 1774, had used the following language in 
reference to the ' Quebec act : ' 

"'j^or can we suppress our astonishment that a 
British parliament should ever consent to establish 
in that country a religion that has deluged your 
island in blood, and dispersed impiety, bigotry, 
persecution, murder, and rebellion through every 
part of the world.' And 'that we think the legis- 
lature of Great Britain is not authorized by the 
constitution to establish a religion fraught with 
sanguinary and impious tenets,' &c. 

"After sentiments which did their religion so 
much injustice, the Canadian clergy were not dis- 
posed to receive with much favor the follow- 
ing declarations of the same congress in their 
'Address to the inhabitants of the province of 
Quebec:' 'We are too well acquainted with the 
liberality of sentiment distinguishing your nation, 
to imagine that ditlerence of I'eligion will preju- 



34 Introductory Memoir. 

dice you against a hearty amity with us. You 
know that the transcendent nature of freedom 
elevates those who unite in her cause above all 
such low-minded infirmities. The Swiss cantons 
furnish a memorable proof of this truth. Their 
union is composed of Ronum Catholic and Pro- 
testant states, living in the utmost concord and 
peace with one another, and thereby enabled, 
ever since they bravely vindicated their freedom, 
to defy and defeat every tyrant that has in- 
vaded them.'"^ 

The Rev. Mr. Carroll, having thus failed in his 
part of the mission, joined Dr. Franklin and re- 
turned to the south. Meanwdiile, however, Messrs. 
Chase and Carroll of Carrollton had been busy 

1 "Nothing can exhibit more clearly the bad effects, upon tlie Cana- 
dians, of the address to the British people, than the following contempo- 
raneous letter, comprised among the revolutionary documents recently 
published by order of congress. 

" Extract of a letter from Canada, dated Montreal, March 24, 1775. 

" ' The address from the Continental Congress attracted the notice of 
some of the principal Canadians ; it was soon translated into very 
tolerable French. The decent manner in which the religious matters 
were touched, the encomiums on the French nation, flattered a people fond 
of compliments. They begged the translator, as he had succeeded so 
well, to try his hand on that addressed to Great Britain. He had equal 
success in this, and read his performance to a numerous audience. But 
when he came to that part which treats of the new modeling of the 
province, draws a picture of the Catholic religion, and Canadian man- 
ners, they could not contain their resentment, nor express it but in 
broken curses, 'O the perfidious double-faced Congress! Let us blcfS 
and obey our benevolent Prince, whose humanity is consistent, and ex- 
tends to all religions ; let us abhor all who would seduce us from our 
loyalty, by acts that would dishonor a Jesuit, and whose addresses, like 
their resolves, are destructive of their own objects.' " — Americctn Arc/iives, 
vol. ii, p. 231. 




S ^ M IP 3 2. 'C M ii S IB 



Intkoductoky ]Memc)1k. 33 

with the military part of their embassy. On the 
day after their arrival at INIontreal, they attended 
a council of Avar/ in which it was resolved to 
fortify Jacques Cartier, — the Falls of Richelieu, 
an important post between Quebec and Montreal, 
— and to build six gondolas at C'hamblay, of a 
proper size to carry heavy cannon, and to be 
under the direction of Arnold. But disasters 
thickened around the insurgents. The small- 
pox had broken out among the troops, and was 
making deep inroads upon their scanty num- 
bers. The Canadians showed no symptoms of 
sympathy with the colonists, and, to crown the 
whole, bad news was soon received from the be- 
siegers at Quebec. 

On the 1st of May, General Thomas had taken 
cammand at the capital, and found by the returns 
that, out of nineteen hundred men, there were not 
more than a thousand, including officers, who were 
lit for duty; all the rest were invalids, chiefly 
afflicted with smallpox. There Avere several posts 
to be defended l)y this trifling force, and at such 
distances from each other that not more than three 
hundred men could be rallied to the relief of any 
one of them, should it be assailed by the Avhole 
force of the enemy. Besides this, there were but 
one hundred and fifty pounds of powder, and only 

1 See American Areliives, vol. v, p. IIGC. 



36 Introductoey Memoir. 

six days' 2^i"t>^'i^i<^n^s in the camp, whilst their 
French neighbors were so disaifected towards the 
coh3nists that supplies were procured with the 
greatest difficulty. 

On the iiftli, a council of war was held, and it 
was resolved to remove the invalids, artillery, 
batteaux, and stores higher up the river, so as 
to prevent our being cut off by water from the 
interior posts in the event of the arrival of 
reinforcements to the enemy. But, on the 
evening of the same day, intelligence was re- 
ceived in the American camp that fifteen ships 
were forty leagues below Quebec, hastening up 
the river; and early next morning five of them 
hove in sight. 

General Thomas^ immediately gave orders to 
embark the artillery and sick in the batteaux, 
whilst the enemy began to land their troops. 
About noon a body of the British, a thousand 
strong, formed into two divisions in columns of six 
deep, and supported with a train of six pieces of 
cannon, attacked our sentinels and main guard. 
Our officers made a stand for a moment on the 
plains, with about two hundred and fifty men and 
one field piece only, when the order for retreat 
was given and our encampment was precipitately 
deserted. In the confusion all our cannon and 

1 lie died of smallpox soon after the retreat to Sorel. 



Introductory Memoir. 37 

aiiiniiiiiitioii fell into the enemy's hands, and it i.s 
believed that about two hundred of our invalids 
were made prisoners. Following the course of 
the river, our broken army fled towards Montreal, 
and, halting for a while at Deschambault, finally 
retreated along the St. Lawrence, until it made a 
stand at Sorel.^ And thus Quebec was lost for 
ever to the colonists. 

Meantime the commissioners had kept up a 
faithful correspondence with congress, and they 
continued it until their departure from Canada. 
Their manuscript letters, preserved in the depart- 
ment at Washington, are dated on the 1st, 8th, 
10th, l(3th, and 27th of May.^ The last of these, 
perhaps, is the most interesting of the series, and, 
as it gives the results of their examinations, Ave 
shall let it speak for itself, especially as the 
"written report" made to congress by Messrs. 
Chase and Carroll, on the 12th of June, 1776, 
could not with the most diligent search be 
found in Washington. 



1 See the letters of General Thomas to the Commissioners, May 7th, 
1776; and of General Arnold to General Schuyler, May 10, 1770.— 
American Archives^ vol. vi, pp. 451, 452. 

- See American Arcliives, vols, v and vi. 



38 Inthojjuctoky Memoik. 



''Montreal, 21th Maij, 1776. 

The Commissioners IX Canada 

"To THE President of Congress: 



"In our last we iiiforiiied you of the deplorable 
state of the army; matters have not mended since. 
We went to the mouth of Horel last w^ek, where we 
found all things in confusion; there is little or no 
discipline among your troops, nor can any bo kept 
up while the practice of enlisting for a twelve- 
month continues; the general officers are all of 
this opinion. Your army is hadly ludd ; and so 
exhausted is your credit that even a cart can not he 
procured without ready money or force. \sc will 
give you an instance of the lowness of your credit. 
Three barrels of gunpowder were ordered from 
Chariihlay to Montreal; this powder was brought 
from Chamblay to a ferry, about three miles off, 
where it would have remained had we not luckily 
passed by, and, seeing the distress of the officer, 
undertaken to pay ready and hard money for the 
hire of a cart to convey it to Lomjueil. The army 
is in a distressed condition, and is in want of the 
most necessary articles — meat, bread, tents, shoes, 
stockings, shirts, &c. The greatest part of those 
who fled from Quehec left all their baggage behind 



Introductory Memoir. 39 

them, or it was plundered by those whose times 
were out, and have sinee left Canada. A\'e are 
informed by Colonel Allen that the men who, from 
pretended indisjwsition, had heen excused from doinr/ 
duff/, ivere the foremost in the flight, and carried off 
such burdens on their hac/is as heart// and stout men 
ivould labor under. 

"With difficulty three hundred tents, and about 
two hundred camp-kettles, were procured here, and 
sent to the Sorel i'ov the use of the army, and were 
delivered, as we were informed, to one Major 
Fuller, who acted in the room of Mr. Campbell, 
deputy quartermaster-general, who had joined 
the army at the Sorel l)ut a day or two before 
our arrival, where, among other instances of 
mismanagement, we give the following: (Adonel 
Nicholsons regiment, consisting only of one hun- 
dred men, received thirty tents and thirty-one 
camp-kettles; Colonel Porter's regiment, not ex- 
ceeding that numl)er, received fifty-six tents and 
thirty-three kettles. 

"Your army in Canada do not exceed four thou- 
sand; above four liundred are sick with different 
disorders; three-fourths of the armtj have not had the 
smallpox. The greater ly^vt of Greatons, Bond's, 
and BurreWs regiments have been lately inocu- 
lated. There are about eight tons of gunpowder in 
the colon//. To evince the great distress we are 
reduced to for want of l)read. we must inform vou 



40 Introductory Memoir. 

that we were oblio-ed to buy thirty loayes of bread 
of our baker to feed Colonel I)e Haas' detachment, 
which entered this town Friday night, on their way 
to join General Arnold at La Chine^ and who could 
not be supplied by the commissary. Such is our 
extreme want of ilour that we were yesterday 
obliged to seize by force fifteen barrels to supply 
this garrison with bread. Previous to this seizure a 
general order was issued to the town-major to Avait 
on the merchants, or others having provisions or 
merchandise for sale, requesting a delivery of what 
our troops are in immediate want of, and requir- 
ing him to give a receipt, expressing the quantity 
delivered; for the payment of which the faith of 
the United Colonies is pledged by your commis- 
sioners. JVothino- but the most uroent necessity 
can justify such harsh measures; but men with 
arms in their hands will not starve when pro^•i- 
sions can be obtained by force. To prevent a 
general plunder, which might end in the massacre 
of your troops, and of many of the inhabitants, we 
have been constrained to advise the general to take 
this step. We can not conceal our concern that 
six thousand men should be ordered to Canada^ 
without taking care to have magazines formed for 
their subsistence, cash to pay them, or to pay the 
inhabitants for their labor, in transporting the bag- 
gage, stores, and provisions of the army. AVe can 
not tind words strono' enouii'li to describe our mis- 



Introductory Memoir. 41 

erablc situation; you will liaYC a faint idea of 
it if YOU figure to yourself an army broken and 
disheartened, half of it under inoculation, or 
under other diseases; soldiers without pay, with- 
out discipline, and altogether reduced to live 
from hand to mouth, depending on the scanty 
and precarious supplies of a few half-starved 
cattle, and trifling quantities of flour, which 
have hitherto been picked up in different parts 
of the country. 

''Your soldiers grumble for their pay; — if tliey 
receive it they will not be benefited, as it will not 
procure them the necessaries they stand in need 
of. Your military chest contains but eleven thou- 
sand paper dollars. You are indebted to your 
troops treble that sum, and to the inhal)itants 
above fifteen thousand dollars."^ 



"Samuel Chase, 
Charles Carroll of CnrroUfony 



It would be difficult to draw a picture of more 
abject wretchedness than is given in this graphic 
letter of the commissioners, and it well prepares 
us for the consequences. Having done all in 



J American Archivo.?, vol. vi, pp. 589, 590. 

6 



42 Inteoductoey Memoir. 

their power to maintain our authority in Canada, 
Messrs. Chase and Carroll took their departure 
from Montreal on the 29th of May, to be pre- 
sent at a council of war of the general and iield 
officers at Chamblay. On the 30th, it was re- 
solycd by this council to maintain possession of 
the strip of country "between the St. Lawrence 
and Sorel, if iwssihJe, and, in the meantime, to 
dispose matters so as to maJiC rni orderh/ retreat 
out of Canada.''^ 

On the 31st the commissioners passed from 
Chamblay to St. John's, where every thing was 
in confusion. On the morning of the 1st of June 
they found General Sullivan, who had arrived 
wdth fourteen hundred men during the night. 
Next day they took leave of the general, and 
sailed from St. John's on their journey home- 
wards. 

Thus ended the labors of the commissioners. 
They returned to Philadelphia, reported to con- 
gress, and congress voted to send new troops and 
to supply them properly.'^ But, in the meantime, 
the fate of our efforts in Canada was sealed. 
The last stand was made by General Sullivan. 
''Yet," says Mr. Sparks, "it was more resolute 
in purpose than successful in execution; the 
whole army was compelled precipitately to evac- 

1 See Carroll's Journal of those dates. 

2 See Journals of Congress for June, 1770, vol. ii, p. 206, cd. of 1800. 



Introductory Memoir. 43 

uate Canada, and retire over the lake to Crown 

Point. 

"Montreal was held to the last moment. Arnold 
then drew oif his detachment with no small risk 
of being intercepted by Sir Gny Carleton, and pro- 
ceeded to St. John's, making, as General Snllivan 
wrote, 'a very prudent and judicious retreat, with 
an enemy close at his heels.' He had, two days 
before, been at St. John's, directed an encampment 
to be enclosed and ordered the frame of a vessel 
then on the stocks to be taken to pieces, the tim- 
bers numbered and the whole to be sent to Crown 
Point. General Sullivan soon arrived with the 
rear of his retreating army and preparations were 
made for an immediate embarkation. To tliis work 
Arnold applied himself with his usual activity and 
vio-ilance, remainino- behind until he had seen 
every boat leave the shore but his own. lie 
then mounted his horse, attended by Wilkinson, 
his aid-de-camp, and rode back two miles, when 
they discovered the enemy's advanced division in 
full march under General Burgoyne. They gazed 
at, or, in military phrase, reconnoitered it for a 
short time, and then hastened back to St. John's. 
A boat beino- in readiness to receive them, the 
horses were stripped and shot, the men were 
ordered on board, and Arnold, refusing all assist- 
ance, pushed otf the l)oat with own hands; 'thus,' 
says Wilkinson, 'indulging the vanity of being 



44 Lntroductoiiy Memoir. 

the last man wlio embarked from the shores of 
the enemy.' "^ 

The commencement of tliis attack upon Canada 
was attended with brilliant success. The early 
efforts of Allen and Arnold at Ticonderoga and 
Crown Point are remarkable for darinij,- couraf>"e. 
The career of Montgomery from the Isle Aux 
IN^oix to Quebec, and his storming of that strong- 
hold, rank conspicuously among military exploits. 
The march of Arnold through the wilderness is 
characterized by dangers and hardships that would 
have appalled a less resolute soldier. And the 
siege of Quebec, with the shadow of an army, 
throughout a Canadian winter; the diplomacy of 
congress by its commissioners; and last, though 
not least, the honorable retreat of Sullivan and 
Arnold, hotly pursued as they were by Burgoyne 
to Sorel, Chamblay, and Isle Aux JN'oix, — all de- 
serve to be remembered, by the student of this 
episode of our revolutionary struggles, as reflect- 
ing honor on the gallant men who retreated from 
those extremities of the British possessions to pro- 
tect the vitals of the land in the approaching war 
of independence. 

In this introductory sketch, the editor, to wliom 
the Maryland Historical Society has confided so 

1 Sparks's Life of Arnokl, p. 02. 



Introductory Memoir. 45 

plca^^ing a task, deems it useless to add a newly 
written biography. The life of Charles Carroll 
OF Carrollton has been so frequently described, 
that the people are familiar with it. Yet as the 
writer who edited this work for the Maryland 
Historical Society in 184o, and, thirty-one years 
afterwards reperforms the task for the Centennial 
Anniversary of our Xation in 1870, — possesses an 
autograghic manuscript of Mr. Carroll setting forth 
his biography for Mr. Delaplaine in 181G, it has 
been thought fitting to preserve by printing such 
a memorial of the survivor of all the patriots who 
signed the Declaration of Independence. It will 
be found in an ai^projU'late place in this book, 
together with an original letter, owned by the 
Maryland Historical Society and now first \n\\}- 
lished, written on the 2nd of June, 1776, to tlie 
father of ''the signer" by the Reverend John Car- 
roll, immediately on his arrival in Philadelphia 
from Canada. 

The Diary which is now published was presented 
by Mr. Carroll to his grand-daughter Mrs. Mac- 
Tavish in 1823, and was deposited ])y her in 1844: 
among the archives of our society. 

It is believed that this journal will be deeply 
interesting to those who like to recur to the olden 
times and to mark the improvement made in our 
country within seventy years. The distance that 
^Ir. Carroll passed o\er in a month, may now 



46 Inteoductoey Memoie. 

be accomplished with case in a couple of days, 
whilst the wilderness he traversed has come to 
"blossom like a rose." ^ It is by no means the 
least memorable association with this valuable 
journal that its author was one of the tifty-six, 
who, soon afterwards signed the Declaration whose 
pledges 2>roduced so magical a change on the face 
of our country and on the welfare of mankind. 

Baltimore^ Maryland^ 1 Jtdij^ 1S4'5, and May, 187G. 



1 In comparing the past with the present, it may not be uninteresting 
to record the fact that, in tlie year 1845, (when this Journal was first 
printed,) persons could travel from : 

New York to Albany, 150 miles, by first class steamer, for . . $ 50 
Albany to White Hall, by steamer and packet boat, 77 miles, 
"White Hall to St. John's by steamer, 150 miles, 
St. John's to La Prairie, by railway, 15 miles, 
La Prairie to Montreal, by steamer, 9 miles, .... 



1 13 
25 

50 
50 



Time two days. In all, 401 miles, cost, $2 88 




®ES!«5j^sasM if'SiAS'Maa; 



JOURNAL 

F 

CHARLES CARROLL OF CARROLLTON, 

DURING HIS 

VISIT TO CANADA, IN 1776, 

As OXE OF THE CoMMISSIOXEES FEOM COXGRESS. 



A PRIL 2d, 177(3. Left New York at 5 o'clock, 
/A p. M.; sailed up North river, or Hiidson\s, 
■^-■- that afternoon, about thirteen miles. About 
one o'clock in the night were awaked by the firing 
of cannon: heard three great guns distinctly from 
the Asia; soon saw a great fire, which we pre- 
sumed to be a house on Bedloe's island, set on 
fire by a detachment of our troops. Intelligence 
had been received that the enemy were throwing 
up intrenchments on tliat island, and it had 
been determined by our generals to drive them 

47 



48 JouEXAL OF Charles Caeeoll. 

off. Dr. Franklin went upon deck, and saw 
waving flashes of light appearing suddenly and 
disappearing, which he conjectured to be the fire 
of musquetry, although he could not hear the 
report. 

3d. A bad, rainy day; wind north-east; quite 
ahead. A. M., eleven o'clock, opposite to Colonel 
Phillips's (a tory) ; pretty situation near the river; 
garden sloping down to it; house has a pretty 
appearance; a church at a little distance on the 
south side, surrounded by cedar trees. The banks 
of the river, on the western side exceedingly steep 
and rocky; pine trees growing amidst the rocks. 
On the eastern, or Xew York side, the banks are 
not near so steep, they decline pretty gradually to 
the water's edi>-e. The river is strai^'ht hitherto. 
About five o'clock wind breezed up from the south; 
got under way, and ran Avith a pretty easy gale as 
far as the highlands, forty miles from JN'ew York. 
The river here is greatly contracted, and the lands 
on each side very lofty. When we got into this 
strait the wind increased, and blew in violent 
flaws; in doubling one of these steep craggy points 
we were in danger of running on the rocks; en- 
deavored to double the cape called St. Anthony's 
nose, but all our efforts proved ineffectual; obliged 
to return some way back in the straits to seek 
shelter; in doing this our mainsail was split to 
pieces by a sudden and most violent blast of wind 



JouEXAL OF Chaeles Caeeoll. 40 

off the mountains. Came to anchor : blew a perfect 
storm all night and all day the fourth. Remained 
all day (the fourth) in Tliunder llill bay, about 
half a mile below Cape Ht. Anthony's nose, and 
a quarter of a mile from Thunder Hill. Our crew 
M'erc employed all tliis day in repairing the main- 
sail. The country round about this bay has a wild 
and romantic appearance; the hills are almost \)qy- 
pendicularly steep, ant covered with rocks, and 
trees of a small size. The hill called St. Anthony's 
nose is said to bo full of sulphur. I make no 
doubt this place has experienced some violent con- 
A'ulsion from subterraneous tire: the steepness of 
the hills, their correspondence, the narrowness of 
the river, and its depth, all contirm me in this 
opinion. 

Sfh. Wind at north-east, mainsail not yet re- 
paired. Sailed about twelve o'clock from Thunder 
Hill bay; just before we doubled Cape St. An- 
thony's nose, jNIr. Chase and I landed to examine 
a beautiful fall of water. Mr. Chase, very aj^pre- 
hensive of the leg of mutton l)eing boiled too much, 
impatient to get on board: wind breezing up, we 
had near a mile to row to overtake the vessel. 
As soon as we doubled Cape St. Anthony's nose 
a beautiful prospect opened <m us. The river, from 
this place to Constitution f;>rt, built on Marbler's 
rock, forms a line canal, sun-ounded with high hills 
of various shapes; one, in oarticular, resembles a 



50 Journal of Charles Carroll. 

suo-ar loaf, and is so called. About three miles 
from Cape St. Anthony's nose is another beautiful 
cascade, called "the Buttermilk." This is formed 
by a rivulet which flows from a lake on the top of 
a neighboring mountain; this lake, we were told, 
abounds with trout and perch. Arrived about five 
o'clock at Constitution fort; ]Mr. Chase went with 
me on shore to ^isit the fort; it is built on a 
rock called Marbler's rock: the river at this place 
makes a sudden bend to the west ; the battery (for 
it does not deserve the name of a fort, being quite 
open on the north-east side) has two flanks, one 
fronting the south, and the other the west; — on the 
south flank were planted thirteen six and one nine 
pounder; on the west flank, seven nine pounders 
and one six pounder, but there were no cannoneers 
in the fort, and only one hundred and two men fit 
to do duty; — they intend to erect another battery 
on an eminence called Gravel hill, which will 
command vessels coming up the river as soon as 
they double Cape St. Anthony's nose. A little 
above this cape a battery is projected to annoy 
the enemy's vessels, to be called Fort JNIont- 
gomery; they intend another battery lower down 
the river, and a little below Cape St. Anthony's 
nose. In the highlands are many convenient spots 
to construct batteries on; but, in order to make 
them answer the intended purpose, weighty metal 
should bo placed on these batteries, and skilful 



JouRXAL OF Charles Carroll. 51 

gunners should bo engaged to serve the artillery. 
About nine o'elock atjiight, the tide making, we 
weighed anchor, and came to again a])ont two 
o'clock in the morning, the sixth instant. The 
river is remarkably deep all the way through the 
highlands, and the tide rai)id. When we came 
to an anchor off C\)nstitution fort we found the 
depth of water ab;)ve tliirtv fathoms. These 
highlands present a number of romantic views, 
the steep hills overshadow the water, and in 
some places tlie rocks, should they be rolled 
down, would fall into the river several feet from 
the banks on which they stood. This ri^'er seems 
intended by nature to open a communication be- 
tween Canada and the province of Xew York by 
water, and, by some great convulsion, a passage 
has Ijeen opened to the waters of Hudson's river 
through the highlands. These arc certainly a- 
spur of the Endless mountains. 

Ofli. Weighed anchor about seven o'clock in the 
morning: had a tine breeze; the country more 
cultivated above the highlands; passed several 
mills, all of them overshot; saw two frigates on 
the stocks at Pokeepsay, building for the service 
of the United Colonies; saw^ a great many lime- 
kilns in our run this morning, on both sides 
of the ri\'er, the banks of which begin to slope 
more gradually to the ^vater's edge. We wrote 
to General Heath, fro:ii off Constitutio:i fort, and 



52 Journal of Charles Carroll, 

sent the letter to the commanding officer of the 
fort, with orders to forward it by express imme- 
diately to the general at Xew York. The pur- 
port of the letter was to inform the general of 
the very defenceless condition of the fort, tliat 
measures might be immediately taken to put it 
in a better posture of defence. If Howe was a 
man of enterprise, and knew of the weak state of 
the fort, he might take it in its present situation 
with sixty men, and without cannon. He might 
land his party a little below the fort on the east 
side, march over a marsh, and attack it on the 
back part. It was proposed to erect a battery of 
some cannon to sweep this marsh; but this, and 
also the battery above mentioned, on Gravel hill, 
have been strangely neglected, and nothing as yet 
has been done towards constructing either of these 
batteries, more than levelling the top of Gravel 
hill. 

Six o'clock, P. jNI., came to anchor four miles 
from Albany; had a most glorious run this day, 
and a most pleasant sail; including our run in 
the night, we ran this day ninety-six miles — 
Constitution fort being one hundred miles from 
Albany, and sixty from jVew York. A\ e passed 
several country houses pleasantly situated on the 
banks, or, rather, eminences commanding the 
banks of the river; the grounds we could dis- 
cover from the vessel did not appear to be 



Journal of Charles Carroll. 53 

highly improved. AVo had a distant xlew of the 
Katskill mountains. These are said to be some 
of the hio-hest in Xorth America; thev liad a 
pleasing- appearance; the weather being some- 
what hazy, they appeared like bluish clouds at 
a great distance; when we were nearest to tliem, 
they were distant about ten miles. Vast tracts 
of land on each side of Pludson's river are held 
by the proprietaries, or, as they are here styled, 
the Pafi'ones of manors. One of the Ransalaers 
has a grant of twenty miles on each side of the 
river. Mr. Robert 11. LiAingston informed me 
that lie held three hundred thousand acres. I 
am told there are but ten original patentees be- 
tween Albany and the highlands. The descend- 
ants of the first proprietaries of these immense 
tracts still keep them in possession ; necessity has 
not as yet forced any of them to sell any part. 
Tt/f. Weighed anchor this morning about six 
o'clock. Wind fair: ha^'ing passed over the over- 
slaw, liad a distinct view of Albany, distant 
about two miles: — landed at All;)any at half past 
seven o'clock; received, at landing, by General 
Schuyler,^ who, understanding we were coming 
up, came from his house, about a mile out of 

1 Genorel Philip Scliuyler, who was one of oar clistinguishod revolu- 
tionary soldiers, was horn in 1733, at Albany. He entered the army 
at the breaking out of the French war in 1755, and accompanied Sir 
W. Johnson to Fort Edward and Lake George. After the peace of 
17G3, he undertook several civil emiiloyments. On the 25th of June, 



54 JouEXAL OF Chaeles Caeeoll. 

town, to receive us and invite us to dine with 
him; he behaved with great civility; lives in 
pretty style; has two daughters (Betsy and 
Peggy), lively, agreeable, black eyed girls. Al- 
bany is situated partly on a level, and partly on 
the slope of a hill, or rising ground, on the west 
side of the river. Yessels drawing eight and 
nine feet water may come to Albany, and five 
miles even beyond it, at this season of the year, 
when the waters are out. The fort is in a ruin- 
ous condition, and not a single gun mounted on 
it. There are more houses in this town than 
in Annapolis, and I believe it to be much more 
populous. The citizens chiefly speak Dutch, 
being mostly the descendants of Dutchmen; but 
the English language and manners are getting 
ground apnce. 

0th. Left Albany early this morning, and trav- 
elled in a wagon in company with ]Mrs. Schuyler, 
her two daughters, and Generals Schuyler and 

1773, (whilst a delegate to the Continental Congress,) he was appointed 
third major general of the American army; and was forthwith charged 
by Washington with the command of our forces in the province of New 
York. Here and in Canada he served the country with great ability, 
until the order was given to abandon that province. After this ho dis- 
played his patriotism and usefulness in various public employments of a 
a military character; and in April, 1779, congress, after his repeated 
solicitations, accepted the resignation of his command in the army. The 
benefit of his enlightened judgment and civil services was not denied to 
his country during the remainder of his life. His last few years were 
passed in dignified retirement; and, after suffering the most poignant 
anguish from the distressing fate of his beloved son-in-law, General Hamil- 
ton, he died at the age of seventy-one, on the 18th of November, 1804. 



JOUEXAL OF ClIAELES CaREOLL. 55 

Thomas. At six miles from Albany I quitted tlio 
waa'on and f>"ot on horse-back to accompany the 
generals to view the falls on the ]Mohawk's river, 
called the Cohooes. The perpendicular fall is 
seventy-four feet, and the breadth of the river at 
this place, as measured by General Schuyler, is one 
thousand feet. The fall is considerably above one 
hundred feet, taken from the first ripple or still 
water above the perpendicular fall. The river was 
swollen with the melting of the snows and rains, 
and rolled over the frightful j^i'ccipice an impetu- 
ous torrent. The foam, the irregularities in the 
fall broken by projecting rocks, and the deafening- 
noise, presented a. sublime but terrifying spectacle. 
At fifty yards from the place the water dropped 
from the trees, as it does after a plentiful shower, 
they being as wet with the ascending vapor as they 
commonly are after a smart rain of some continu- 
ance. The bottoms adjoining tlie river Hudson 
are fine lands, and aiq)eared to be well cultivated ; 
most of them that wo })assed through were in 
wheat, which, though commonly overflowed in the 
spring, we were informed by our driver, suifered 
no hurt, but were rather imprcned by the inun- 
dation. We arrived in the evening, a little before 
sunset, at Saratoga, the seat of General Schuyler, 
distant from All)any thirty-two miles. We spent 
the Avliole day in the journey, occasioned l)y the 
badness of the roads, and tlie delav the wa^'ons 



56 Journal of Ciiaeles Caekoll. 

met with in crossing two ferries. The roads at this 
season of the year are generally bad, bnt now worse 
than ever, owing to the great nnmber of wagons 
employed in carrying the baggage of the regiments 
marching into Canada, and snpplies to the army 
in that conntry. General Schnyler informed me 
that an nninterrupted water-carriage between Tv^ew 
York and Quebec might be perfected at fifty thou- 
sand pounds Stirling expense, by means of locks, 
and a small canal cut from a branch that runs 
into Wood creek, and the head of a branch which 
falls into Hudson's river; the distance is not more 
than three miles. The river Richelieu or Sorel, is 
navigable for batteaux from the lake Champlain 
into the St. Lawrence. The rapids, below St. 
John's, are not so considerable as to obstruct the 
navio-ation of such vessels. 

The lands about Saratoga are very good, par- 
ticularly the bottom lands. Hudson's river runs 
within a cpuirter of a mile of the house, and you 
have a pleasing view of it for two or three 
miles above and below. A stream called Fishkill, 
which rises out of Lake Saratoga, about six miles 
from the general's house, runs close by it, and 
turns several mills; one, -a grist mill, two saw 
mills, (one of them carrying fourteen saws,) and 
a hemp and flax mill. This mill is a new con- 
struction, and answers equally well in Ijreaking 
hemp or flax. I requested the general to get a 



JOURXAL OF ClIAELES CaRROLL. oT 

model made for me by the person wlio built it. 
Descriptions of machines are seldom accurately 
made, and when done with exactness are seldom 
understood. I was informed by the general that 
it is customary for the great proprietaries of 
lands to lease them out for three lives, some- 
times on fee-farm-rents, reserving, by way of 
rent, a fourth, or, more commonly, a tenth of all 
the produce; but the proprietaries content them- 
selves w4th a tenth of the wheat. On every 
transmutation of property from one tenant to 
another, a quarter ])art of what the land sells 
for is sometimes paid to the original proprietary 
or lord of the manor. The general observed to 
me that this was much the most advantageous 
way of leasing lands; — that in the course of a 
few years, from the frequent transmutations of 
tenant-^, the alienation lines would exceed the 
purchase of the fee-simple, though sold at a high 
valuation, (jrcneral Schuyler is a man of a good 
understanding improved l)y reflection and study; 
he is of a very active turn, and fond of hus- 
bandry, and when the present distractions are 
composed, if his infirm state of health will per- 
mit 1dm, will make Saratoga a most beautiful 
and most valuable estate. He saws up great 
(|uantities of plank at his mills, which, before 
this war, was disposed of in the neighborhood, 
but the greater part of it sent to Albany. 
8 



58 Journal of Charles Carroll. 

11th. Generals Thomas and Schuyler set off this 
morning for Lake George; the former to be in 
readiness to cross the lake on the first breaking 
up of the ice, the latter to forward the embarka- 
tion and transi)ortation of military stores and 
supplies. 

12th. It snowed all this morning until eleven 
o'clock; the snow above six inches deep on the 
ground: it was not off the neighboring hills when 
Ave left Saratoga.^ 

IGth. This morning we set off' from Saratoga; I 
parted with regret from tlie amiable family of 
General Schuyler; the ease and affability wdth 
which we were treated, and the lively behavior 
of the young ladies, made Saratoga a most pleas- 
ing sejour, the remembrance of which wdll long 
remain with me. We rode from Saratoga to 
MclN^eill's ferry, [distance two miles and a half.] 
crossed Hudson's river at this place, and rode on 
to one mile above Fort Miller, wdiich is distant 
from McXeilFs two miles. A Mr. Dover has a 
country-seat near Fort Miller; you see his house 
from the road. There is a very considerable fall 
in the river at Fort Miller. Just above it our 

1 Dr. Frjinklin addressed a friendly letter to Josiah Quincy, dated ]5tli 
of April, 177G, la which he say?, '"I am here on my way to Canada, 
detained by the present state of the lakes, in whicli the unthawed ice 
obstructs the navigation. I begin to apprehend that I have undertaken 
a fatigue that, at my time of life, may prove too much for me, so I sit 
down to write to a few friends, by way of farewell.''^ — See Sparks's Life of 
Franklin, vol. viii, p. 180. — Amcricdu Arc/iircs, vol. v, p. 947. 



JouKXAL OF Charles Carroll. o9 

baggage was put into another boat; it had Ijoon 
brought in a M'agon from Saratoga to jMcXeiU's. 
carried over tlie ferry in a wagon, and then ]uit 
on board a boat, in which it was conveyed to the 
foot of Fort MiUer falls; then carried over land 
a quarter of a mile and put into a second boat. 
At a mile from Fort Miller we got into a boat 
and went up the Hudson river to Fort Edward. 
Although this fort is but seven miles distant 
from the place where we took boat, we were 
above four hours r(nving up. Tlie current is 
exceedingly rapid, and the rapidity was increased 
by a freshet. In many places the current was 
so strong that the batteau men were obliged to 
set up with poles, and drag the boat by the 
painter. Although these fellows were active and 
expert at this business, it was with the greatest 
ditticulty they could stem the current in particu- 
lar 2)laces. The congress keeps in pay three 
companies of batteau men on Hudson's river, 
consisting each of thirty-three men with a cap- 
tain; — the pay of the men is £4.10 per month. 
The laiuls bordering on Hudson's river, as vou 
approach Fort Edward, become more sandy, and 
the i)rincipal wood that grows on them is pine. 
There arc several saw mills l)otli abo^e and 
below Fort ]\Iiller. The planks sawed at the 
mills above Fort Miller are made up into small 
rafts and left without guides to the current of 



60 JouENAL OF Charles Caeroll. 

the river; eacli one is marked, so that the raft- 
men that remain just below Fort Miller falls, 
watching" for them coming down, may easily 
know their own rafts. AVhen they come over 
the falls they go out in canoes and boats and 
tow their rafts ashore, and then take them to 
pieces and make them again into larger rafts. 
The smaller rafts are called cribs. The ruins 
only of Fort Edward remain; there is a good 
large inn, where we found quartered Colonel Sin- 
clair's regiment. Mr. Allen, son of old Mr. 
Allen, is lieutenant-colonel; he received us very 
politely and accommodated us with beds. The 
officers of this regiment are in general fine sized 
men, and seemed to be on a friendly footing; — 
the soldiers also are stout fellows. 

17th. Having breakfasted with Colonel Allen, 
we set off from Fort Edward on our way to Fort 
George. We had not got a mile from the fort 
when a messenger from General Schuyler met 
us. He was sent with a letter by the general to 
inform us that Lake George was not open, and 
to desire us to remain at an inn kept by one 
Wing at seven miles distance from Fort Edward 
and as many from Fort George. The country 
between Wing's tavern and Fort Edward is verv 
sandy and somewhat hilly. The principal wood 
is pine. At Fort Edward the river Hudson 
makes a sudden turn to the westward; it soon 



Journal of Charles Carroll. (51 

ao-aiii resumes its former north course, for, at 
a small distance, we found it on our left and 
parallel with the road which we traAclled, and 
wdiicli, from F(n't Edward to Fort (ieorge, lies 
nearly north and south. At three miles, or 
thereabouts, from Fort Edward, is a remarkal)le 
fall in the river. We cuuld^ see it from the 
road, hut not so as to form any judgment of its 
height. Mq were informed that it was upwards 
of thirty feet, and is called the Ivingsljury falls. 
We could distinctly seo the spray arising like a 
vapor or fog from the violence of the fall. The 
l)a]dvs of the river, above and Ixdow these falls 
for a mile or two, are remarkably steep and 
high, and appear to be formed or faced, with a 
kind of stone very much resembling slate. The 
banks of the Mohawk's river at the Cohooes are 
faced with the same sort of stone; — it is said to 
bo an indication of sea-coal. ^Nlr. Wing's tavern 
is in the township of Queensbury, and Charlotte 
county; Hudson's river is not above a quarter of 
a mile from his house. There is a most beau- 
tiful fall in the river at this place. From still 
water, to the foot of the fall, I imagine the fall 
cannot be less than sixty feet, but the fall is not 
perpendicular; it may be ab(nit a hundred aiul 
twenty or a hundred and fifty feet long, and in 
this length, it is broken into three distinct falls, 
one of which may be twenty-five feet nearly 



62 Journal OF Charles Carroll. 

perpendicular. I saw ]Mr. AVing's patent, — the 
reserved quit-rent is two shillings and sixpence 
sterling per hundred acres; but he informs me 
it has never been yet collected. 

IStJi. A¥e set off from Wing's tavern about 
twelve o'clock this day, and reached Fort George ^ 
about two o'clock; the distance is eight miles and 
a half; — you can not discover the lake until you 
come to the heights surrounding it,— the descent 
from which to the lake is nearly a mile long; — 
from these heights you have a beautiful view of 
the lake for lifteen miles down it. Its greatest 
breadth during these fifteen miles does not exceed 
a mile and a quarter, to judge by the eye, which, 
however, is a very fallacious way of estimating 
distances. Several rocky islands appear in the 
lake, covered with a species of cedar called here 
liemlocJi. Fort George is in as ruinous a condi- 
tion as Fort Fdward, it is a small bastion, faced 
with stone, and built on an eminence command- 
in o- the head of the lake. There are some barracks 

O 

1 See General Schuyler's letter to Washington, dated Fort George, 
April 27, 177G, Am. Archives, vol. v, p. 1097; and the letter immedi- 
ately following, from Arnold to Schuyler, dated at Montreal on the 
20th April. These letters give gloomy views of Canadian affairs. The 
reader will not be amazed, after reading Arnold's account of our army 
and its resources, that it finally retreated from the province. 

According to Arnold's returns of the troops before Quebec on the SOlh 
March, 786 were on the sick list out of 2505, most of whom were griev- 
ously ill of the small-pox.— " Fifteen hundred of these men," he says, 
"are at liberty on the 15th of April, and probably not more than half 
of them will be retained in the service." 



JOUENAL OF ChAELES CaEEOLL. 03 

in it, ill wliicli the troops were quartered, or rather 
one barrack, which occupied ahnost the whole space 
between the walls. At a little distance from this 
fort, and to the Avestward of it, is the spot where 
the Baron Dieskau was defeated l)y Sir William 
Johnson.^ About a quarter of a mile further to 
the westward the small remains of Fort AVilliam 
Henry are to be seen across a little riAulet which 



1 See Clmlmortr"s History of tlie Revolt of the Ameriean Colonies, vol. 
ii, p. 277, and Smith's History of New York, vol. ii, p. '120. 

The Baron Dieskau had collected about 8000 men at Crown Point, 
and led a detachment of 200 regulars, GOO Canadians, and as many 
Indians, uj) the South hay, intending to pass on and lay waste the set- 
tlements down to Albany; but, near Fort Edward, he turned back, Avitli 
hopes of cutting off that part of the army which was then fourteen miles 
higher up the lake. He was first met by a party of about 1000 men, 
a lew miles from our canp. He drove them before him, as well as a 
detachment sent to support them ; but, by a very great error, instead of 
storming the log breastwork, he halted and scattered his irregulars at 
one hundred and fifty yards, keeping up a fire of musqmiry, until the 
camp recovered from its surprise and began to play upon them with 
ariUlcry. 

Wounded, and deserted by all but his handful of regulars, he endeav- 
ored to reach his boats at South bay; but was pursued, wounckxl again, 
and taken. A detachment of 200 men from Fort Edward, arriving at 
this instant, pursued the flying army, and completed the repulse before 
the dusk of evening. Sir "William Johnson received a wound in the 
thigh early in the action, and the defence was conducted by General 
Lyman. 

Dieskau bad been a favorite soldier of Saxe, and by his recommenda- 
tion had been entrusted by the French government with command in 
Canada. He was long retained a prisoner in England, and, I believe, 
died there from the effects of the wounds received in this fatal action. 
His account of the battle and his correspondence with his government 
may be seen in the collection of MSS. lately made by Mr. Brodhead for 
the state of New York, and deposited at Albany in the Secretary of 
State's office. — See vol. xi of the Paris Documents., pp. 117, 1"23, 125. 

In February, 175G, parliament granted at the request of the colonics, 
whose troops had defeated Dieskau, £115,000, not so much as a reim- 
bursement as a bounty; more as an encouragement for future exploits, 
tlian as a reward for the past. 



G4 Journal of Chaeles Carroll. 

forms a swamp, and is the morass mentioned by 
Sir William Johnson in his acconnt of the action 
with Dieskan. Fort William Henry was taken 
last war by Montcalm and destroyed; — the garri- 
son, consisting- of fonr hundred men, and sixteen 
hundred others that were intrenched without the 
fort, capitulated ; — a considerable part of these 
men were murdered by the Indians, on their 
march to Fort Edward, after they had delivered 
up their arms, according to the terms of capitu- 
lation. The bay in Avhich Montcalm landed is 
seen from Fort George; he left a guard of five 
hundred men only to protect his boats and artil- 
lery, and marched round over the heights to 
come to the southward of Fort William Henry. 
When on these heights, he discovered the in- 
trenched body without the fort, and seeing the 
great indiscretion he had been guilty of in lea^'- 
ino- so small a force to guard his baggage and 
l)oats, he rashl}^ marched l)ack to secure them. 
Had our troops attacked Montcalm's five hun- 
dred men, they would probably have defeated 
them, taken his cannon and boats, and forced 
him to surrender with his whole army. There was 
nothing to impede the attack but want of enter- 
prise and conduct in the commanding otficer. ^ 

1 See Smith's History of New York, vol. ii, pp. 245-G, and Chalmers's 
History of the Revolt of the American Colonies, vol. ii, pp. 287-8. 

" Montcalm, who succeeded Dieskaii in command, crossed Lake Cham- 
plain with cloven thousand men, and a numerous artillery, and invested 



Journal of Charles Carroll. G-") 

The neio'liborliood of Fort dleoi'oo abounds ^vitll 
limestone, and so indeed does all tlie eountrv 
surrounding the lake, and all the islands in 
it. Their rocky coast and bottom contribute, no 
doubt, to the clearness of the lake water. Xever 
did I see water more transparent, and to its 
transparency, no doubt, must be ascribed the 
excellency of the tish in this lake, which much 
exceed the tish in Lake Champlain. Lake George 
abounds with perch, trout, rock, and eels. 

10th. VsQ embarked at Fort (leorge this even- 
ing, about one o'clock, in company with General 
Schuyler, and landed in Montcalm's bay about 
four miles from Fort George. After drinkiuo- 
tea on shore, and arranging matters in our boats, 
we again end^arked, and went about three or 
four miles further, then landed, (the sun being- 
set,) and kindled tires on shore. The longest of 
the boats, m:ule for the transportation of the 
troops over lakes George and Champlain, arc^ 



Furt William Henrv in the bcginniiiy,- of August, 1757. This fort liad 
been erected subsequently to the Crown Point expedition. Webb, who 
lay in its vicinity at Fort Edward, ^vitll four thousand regulars and 
provincials, did every thing for its relief that could bo expected from an 
intelligent officer. But he found it impossible to collect the numerous 
militias of the neighboring provinces, since they never had been em- 
bodied under anj' sy.stem, and the authority of the governors luid loni;- 
baen sacrificed to the passions of the multitude. 

" Monro defended Fort "Williani Henry with a gallantry that gained 
liim the apphiuse of his conquerer, who could not, however, protect a 
brave garrison from the i)lunder of the savages. Montcalm, after this, 
retired into Canada, and so ended the third campaign of that war." 

9 



(jO JouKNAL OF Charles Careoll. 

tliirty-,six feet in length and eight feet wide; 
they draw about a foot water when loaded, and 
carry between thirty and furt}^ men, and are 
rowed by the soldiers. They haye a mast lixed 
in them, to which a square sail, or a blanket is 
fastened, but these sails are of no use unless 
with the wind abaft or nearly so. After we left 
Montcalm bay we were delayed considerably in 
getting through the ice; but, with the help of 
tentpoles, we opened ourselyes a passage through 
it into free water. The boats fitted up to carry 
us across had awnings oyer them, under which 
we made up our beds, and my fellow trayellers 
slept yery comfortably; but this was not my 
case, for I Avas indisposed the whole night, with 
a Adolent sickness at my stomach and yomiting, 
occa3ioned by an indigestion. V^e left the place 
where we passed the night yery early on the 
20th. 

."^OfJi. V^Q had gone some miles before I rose; 
soon after I got out of bed we found ourselyes 
entangled in the ice. AVe attempted, but in 
yain, to break through it in one place, but 
Avere obliged to desist and force our passage 
through another, which Ave effected Avithout much 
difficulty. At eight o'clock aa^c landed to break- 
fast. After breakfast the general looked to liis 
small boat; being desirous to reach the landing 
at the north end of Lake Georo-e. Ave set off 



Journal of Charles Carroll. (57 

together; but the general's boat and the otlicr 
boat, Avitli part of the luggage, soon got before us 
a considerable way. After separating, we luckily 
fell in with tlie boat bringing the ^lontreal and 
Canada mall, l)y which we were informed that 
the west shore of the lake, at a }>lace called 
Sabatay point, Avas much encumbered with ico, 
but that there was a free passage on the east 
side; accordingly, we kept along the east shore, 
and found it free from ico, by which means we 
got before the general and the other boat; for 
the general, who was foremost, had been delayed 
aboA e an hour in breaking through the ice, and, 
in one place, was obliged to haul his boat over 
a piece or neck of land thirty feet broad. Dr. 
Franklin found in the Canada mail, which lie 
opened, a letter for General Schuyler. AMien we 
had weathered Sabatay point, we stood over for 
the western shore of tlie lake, and a mile or two 
below the point we were overtaken by the gene- 
ral, from whom we learned the cause of liis delav. 
My. Chase and myself went on board the general's 
boat, and reached the landing place at the south 
end of Lake George near two hours before the 
other boats. Lake George lies nearly north and 
south, or rather, as I think, somewhat to tlie 
eastward of a due north course. Its shores are 
remarkably steep, high, and rocky ( particular! v 
the east shore), and are c tvered witli pine and 



68 Journal of Chaeles Caeroll. 

cedar, or what is here termed hemlock; the coun- 
try is wikl, and appears utterly incapable of cul- 
tivation; it is a tine deer country, and likely to 
remain so, for I think it never will be inhabited. 
I speak of the shores, and I am told the inland 
country resembles these. The lake, in its great- 
est width, does not exceed, I think, two miles; 
the widest part is nearest the north end, imme- 
diately before you enter the last narrows, which 
are not, in their greatest width, above half a 
mile. There are two places where the lake is 
considerably contracted, one about the middle of 
it, the other, as I have said, at the north end; 
this last gradually contracts itself in breadth to 
the size of an inconsiderable river, and suddenly, 
in depth, to that of a very shallow one. The 
landing place of Lake George is a few yards to 
the southward of the first fall or rijiple in this 
river, through which the waters of Lake George 
drain into Lake Champlain. We passed through 
this ripple, and though our boat did not draw 
above seven or eight inches, her bottom raked 
the rocks; the water ran through this passage 
about as swift as it does through your tail race. 
From the landing place to Ticonderoga is three 
miles and a half. The boats, in coming through 
Lake George, pass through the passage just de- 
scribed, and unload at a quarter of a mile below 
the usual landing place. Their contents are then 



Journal of Charles Carroll. (59 

put into wagons, and carried o^er to Ticonderoga. 
General Selmyler has erected a niacliine for rais- 
ing the boats when emptied, and then letting 
them gently down on a carriage constrncted for 
the pnrpose, on which they are drawn over land 
to Ticonderoga, on Lake Champlain, to carry the 
troops over the last mentioned lake, and down 
the Sorel into the river 8t. Lawrence. These 
carriao-es consist of fonr wheels, nnited Lv a long 
sapling, at the extremities of which the wheels 
arc placed; over the axletrees is fixed a piece 
of wood, on which each end of the boat is snp- 
ported and made fast by a rope secnred ronnd a 
bolt at the nndermost part, and in the centre of 
the axletree. This bolt is made of iron, and 
passes throngh the aforesaid pieces of wood and 
the axletree. These carriages are drawn by six 
oxen, and this morning (21st instant) I saw three 
or fonr boats c.irried over npon them. Lake 
George, from the sonth end of it to the landing- 
place at the north extremity, is thirty-six miles 
long. Its average width does not, I think, ex- 
ceed a mile, and this breadth is intersj^ersed and 
broken by innumerable little rocky islands formed 
of limestone; the shores of which are commonly 
so steep that you may step from the rocks into 
ten or twelve feet water. The season was not 
sufficiently advanced to admit of catching lisli, a 
circumstance we had reason to reo-ret, as thev are 



70 Journal of Charles Carroll. 

80 liiglily praised l)y tlio connoisseurs in good eat- 
ing, and as one of our company is so excellent a 
judge in this science. There are no considerable 
rivers that emj^ty themselves into Lake George. 
We saw some brooks or rivulets, which, I pre- 
sume, after the melting of the snows, are almost 
dry. The lake must be fed, principally, with 
springs, the melting of snows, and the torrents 
that must pour into it, from its high and steep 
shores, after rains. As there is no considerable 
river that tlows into it, so is the vent of its 
w^aters into Lake Champlain very inconsiderable. 
In summer you may step, dry-footed, from rock 
to rock, in the place which I have called the 
first ripple, and which I said we passed, coming- 
out of Lake George. The water suddenly shal- 
lows from a great depth to nine or ten feet or 
less. This change is immediately discoverable by 
the o-reat change in the color of the water. The 
lake water is of a dark bluish cast, and the water 
of the river of a whitish color, owing not only to 
the difference of the depth, but the difference of 
the bottoms and shores, which, adjoining the ri^'er, 
are of white clay. 

21f<t. I took a walk this evening to the saw- 
mill which is built on the principal fall of the 
river flowino- from Lake Georo-e into Lake Cham- 
plain. At the foot of this fall, which is about 
thirteen feet high, the river is navigable for bat- 



JouENAL OF Charles Caeroll. 71 

tcaiix into Lake Cliamplain. From the 8aw-iiiill 
to tlic place ^vlle^e the batteaiix are put on car- 
riages to be carried over hind, the distance is 
one niik^ and a half. I saw them unload a boat 
from the carriage, and launch it, at the same 
time, into the river; this was performed by 
thirty-live or forty men. To-day they carried 
over this portage iifty batteaux. I saw the forty- 
eighth put on the carriage. A little to the north- 
westward of the saw-mill, on the west side of the 
river, I visited the spot "where Lord Howe was 
killed. At a small expense a continued navi- 
gation for batteaux might be made between the 
lakes George and Champlain, l)y means of a few 
locks. General Schuyler informed me that locks, 
sufficient and adequate to the above purpose, 
might be constructed for fifteen hundred pouiuls 
sterling. There are but four or ti^e falls in this 
river, the greatest of which is not above fourteen 
or fifteen feet. But the general informs me a 
much more advantageous water carriage may bo 
opened through Wood creek, which falls into 
Lake Champlain at Skeenesl)orough, twenty-eight 
miles south of Ticonderoga. The general pro- 
poses to have this creek accurately surveyed, the 
heights ascertained, and estimate made of the 
expense of erecting locks on Wood creek, and 
the most con^'enient branch which heads near it 
and falls into Hudson's river. If this water 



r^ 



Journal of Charles Carroll. 



communication between Lake Cliamplain and the 
province of Kew York should be perfected, there 
is little danger of the enemy's gaining the mas- 
tery of Lake Champlain, or of their ever having 
it in their power to invade these colonies from 
Canada with any prospect of success, besides the 
security which will be obtained for the colonies in 
time of war by making this navigation. Trade, 
during peace, will l)e greatly benefited by it, as 
there will then be a continued water communica- 
tion between jVew York and Canada, without the 
inconvenience and expense attending the portages 
over land. 

S:2d. I this morning took a ride with General 
Schuyler across the portage, or from tlie landing- 
place at the bottom of Lake George, to Ticonde- 
roga. The landing place is properly on the river 
which runs out of Lake George into Lake Cham- 
plain, and may be a mile and a half from the 
place wdiere the former may be said to terminate, 
i. e., where the lake is contracted into a river, as 
a current and shallow^ water. This river, comput- 
ing its length from the aforesaid spot to the foot 
of the falls at the saw-mills, and its windings, 
which are inconsiderable, is not more than four 
or five miles long. From the foot of the saw- 
mill falls there is still water into Lake Cham- 
plain. It is at the foot of these ftdls that the 
batteaux, brought over land, are launched into 



Journal of Charles Carroll. 73 

the water, and the artillerv and tlie apparatus 
belonging to it are embarked in them; the stores, 
such as provisions, ball, powder, &c., are em- 
l3arked from Ticonderoga. At sixty or se\'enty 
yards below the saw-mill there is a bridge built 
over the river: — this bridge Avas built by the 
king during the last war; — the road from the 
landing place to Ticonderoga passes over it, and 
you then have the river on the right; when 
you have passed the bridge you immediately 
ascend a pretty high hill, and keep ascending 
till you reach the famous lines made by the 
French in the last war, wdiich Abercrombie was 
so infatuated as to attack Avith musquetry only; 
— his cannon was Iving at the bridu'e, about a 
mile or something better from these lines. The 
eA'ent of the day is too Avell known to be men- 
tioned; we lost [killed and Avounded] near one 
thousand six hundred men; luid the cannon been 
brought up, the French Avould not have Availed 
to be attacked; — it Avas morally impossible to 
succeed against these lines Avith small arms only, 
particularly in the manner they Avere attacked; 
— our army passing before them, and receiving 
a tire from the Avliole extent; — Avhereas, had it 
marched loAver doAvn, or to the north-Avest of 
these lines, it Avould have flanked them: — they 
Avere constructed of large trunks of trees, felled 
on each other, Avith earth throAvn up against 
10 



74 JouENAL OF Charles Careoll. 

tliem. On the side next the French troops, they 
had, besides felling trees, lopped and sharpened 
their branches, and turned them towards the 
enemy; the trunks of the trees remain to this 
day piled up as described, Init are fast going to 
decay. As soon as you enter these lines you 
have a full view of Lake Champlain and Ticon- 
deroga fort, distant about a quarter of a mile. 
The land from thence gradually declines to the 
spot on which the fort is built. ^ Lake Cham- 
plain empties itself opposite the fort, and runs 
south twenty-eight miles to Skeenesborough. 
Crown Point is iifteen miles down the lake 
from Ticonderoga. The lake is no where broad 
in sight of the last mentioned place, but the 



1 The works at Ticonderoga were trifling: logs had been piled up en 
the land side in a line for a breastwork, with trees before it to embar- 
rass assailants. In August, 1758, Abercrombie, who was not informed 
that there was, at one end, an open access to the French encampment, 
ordei-ed an attack Avith musquetry alone, upon that part of the line which 
was completed and fortified v,'ith cannon. It was at that point that 
the British sustained a loss of nearly two tlic\isand men in killed and 
wounded. 

The French general, who was just within the lines, perceived the 
folly of the British in advancing through the obstructions of an abatiis 
of trees, and forbade a musket to be fired until he gave the word. As 
soon as the English troops were so completely within his toils that their 
embarrassments utterly impeded flight, he issued the word of command, 
and the assailants were slaughtered like cattle. 

It was related by Colonel Schuyler, who was then a prisoner in 
Canada, that Montcalm's whole force at Crown Point did not exceed 
three thousand men, nor his killed, Avounded, and captured, two hun- 
dred and thirty. From a dread of the British superioi'it}', he had actu- 
tiUy resolved, before Abercrombie retreated, to abandon Crown Point. — 
See Smith's History of New York, vol. ii, p. 2(jo. 



Journal of Ohaeles Caeroll. /o 

prospect from it is very pleasing; its shores arc 
not as steep as tliose of Lake George. They 
rise gradually from the water, and are covered 
more thickly with woods, which grow in good 
soils, or at least in soils much better than can 
be seen on Lake George. There is but one set- 
tlement on the latter, at Sabatay point; I un- 
derstood there were about sixty acres of good 
land at that point. Ticonderoga fort is in a 
ruinous condition; it was onco a tolerable forti- 
tication. The ramparts are f;iced with stone. I 
saw a few pieces of cannon mounted on one bas- 
tion, more for show, I apprehend, than service. 
In the present state of aftairs this fort is of 
no other use than as an cntreput or magazine 
for stores, as from tliis place all supplies for 
our army in C^anada arc shipped to go down 
Lake Cliamplain. I saw four vessels, viz: three 
schooners and one sloop; these are to bo armed, 
to keep the uuistery of the lake in case we 
should lose St. John's and bo driven out of 
Canada; — in the meantime they will l)o employed 
in carrying sup})lies to our tr<jops in that coun- 
try. Of these three schooners, two were taken 
from the enemy on the surrender of St. John's, 
one of them is called the Royal Savage, and 
is pierced for twelve guns; she had, wluui 
taken, twelve brass pieces — I think four and 
six pounders; these were sent, to Boston. She 



76 JouRXAL OF Charles Carroll. 

is really a line vessel, and built on purpose for 
fighting; lioAvever, some repairs arc wanted; a 
new mainmast must be put in, her old one 
being shattered with one of our cannon balls/ 
When these vessels are completely rigged, armed 
and manned, we may defy the enemy on Lake 
Champlain for this summer and fall at least, 
even should we unfortunately be driven out of 
Canada. When our small army last summer, 
or rather fall, [in, number about one thousand 



1 This vessel had been taken the year before. After Ticonderoga and 
Crown Point were secured by Colonel Allen, a party of his troops came 
suddenly upon Major Skeene, at Skeenesborough, and, making him 
prisoner, also seized a schooner and several batteaux, with which they 
hastened to Ticonderoga. Allen and Arnold then formed a plan to 
make a rapid descent upon St. John's, take a king's sloop that lay 
there, and attempt a descent upon the garrison. The schooner and 
batteaux were therefore speedily manned and armed, and, as Arnold 
had been a seaman in his youth, the schooner was assigned to his com- 
mand, while the batteaux were committed to the charge of Allen. They 
left Ticonderoga at nearly the same time; but, as the wind was fresh, 
the schooner outsailed the batteaux. At eight o'clock in the evening of 
the 17th May, 1775, Arnold was within thirtj^ miles of St. John's; and, 
as the weather was calm, he titted out two batteaux wnth thirty-five men, 
leaving the schooner behind, and proceeded to his destination, where he 
arrived at six o'clock next morning. He immediately made his attack, 
seized a sergeant with twelve men, and the king's sloop of about seventy 
tons, with two brass sixes, and seven men. Neither side sustained any 
loss; and embarking, after a delay of two hours, he took with him his 
captives, the sloop, and four batteaux, having destroyed five others. 

Fifteen miles from St John's he met Allen pressing forward w'ith his 
party. They saluted in honor of the victory, and the colonel pushed 
on with cue hundred men towards La Prairie, to keep, if possible, the 
ground that had been taken by Arnold. But, notwithstanding his reso- 
lution and courage, he was soon obliged to retreat before reinforcements 
that came from Chamblay and elsewhere, and he returned to Ticonde- 
roga, with a loss of only three men, who had been taken prisoners.— See 
Sj>arks's American Biography^ vul. i, p. 279, et seq. 



Journal of Chaeles Carroll. 77 

seven hundred,] came to Me mix Noix^ this 
vessel was ahiiost ready to put to sea, she 
wanted only as much to be done to her as could 
easily have been finished in three days, had the 
enemy exerted themselves. Had she ventured 
out our expedition to Canada must have failed, 
and probably our whole army must have surren- 
dered, for she was greatly an overmatch for all 
the naval strength we then had on the lake. 
Had Preston, who commanded at St. John's, 
ventured out Avith his garrison, consisting of six 
hundred men, and attacked our people at their 
first landing, he would, in all probability, have 
defeated them, as they were a mere undisciplined 
rabble, made up chieily of the oifings and out- 
casts of Xew York. 

23d. AVe continued this day at the landing- 
place, our boats not being yet ready and fitted 
to carry us through Lake Champlain. General 
Schuyler and the troops were busily engaged in 
carting over land, to the saw-mill, the batteaux, 
cannon, artillery stores, provisions, &c., there to 
be embarked on the navigable waters of Lake 
Champlain, and transported over that lake to 
St. John's. 

24th. We this day left the landing place at 
Lake George and took boat at the saw-mill. 
From the saw-mill to Ticonderoga, the distance, 
by Avater, is about a mile; the water is shallow, 



78 JouRXAL OF Charles Carroll. 

but sufficiently deep fur batteau navigation. A 
little below the bridge before mentioned, the 
French, during the last war, drove pickets into 
the river, to prevent our boats getting round 
from the saw-mill to Ticonderoga with the artil- 
lery; some of the pickets still remain, for both 
our boats struck on them. Ticonderoga fort^ is 
beautifully situated, but, as I said before, it is 
in a ruinous condition; — neither is the place, in 
my opinion, judiciously chosen for the construc- 
tion of a fort; a fort constructed at the saw-mill 
would much better secure the passage or pass 
into the province of Xew York by w^ay of Lake 
George. Plaving waited at Ticonderoga an hour 
or two, to take in provisions for the crews of 
both boats, consisting entirely of soldiers, we 
embarked at eleven o'clock, and reached Crown 
Point a little after three, with the help of 
our oars only. Crown Point is distant from 
Ticonderoga only fifteen miles. The lake, all 
the way, from one part to anotlier, is narrow, 
scarce exceeding a mile on an average. Crown 
Point is situated on a neck or isthmus of land, 
on the west side of the lake; it is in ruins; 
it was once a considerable fortress, and the 
English must have expended a large sum in 

1 For an interesting account of the capt-.:re of lliis place by Ethan 
Allen, on the morning of the 10th of May, 1775, ''In the name," as he 
said, "o/ the Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress;" see Sjiarhs's 
American Biography, first series, vol. i, p. 274, et seq. 



JouENAL OF Charles Carroll. 79 

constructing- the fort and crcctino- the barracks, 
Avhich are also in ruins. A great part of the 
ditch is cut out of the solid limestone rock. 
This ditch was made by blowing the rocks, as 
the holes bored for the gunjujwder are j^l^^iiily 
to be seen in the fragments. By some accident 
the fort took tire, the flames communicated to 
the powder magazine, containing at that time 
ninety-six barrels. The shock was so great as 
to throw down the barracks — at least the upper 
stories. The explosion was distinctly heard ten 
miles oif, and the earth shook at that distance 
as if there had been an eartlnjuake. This intel- 
ligence I received from one Faris, who lives ten 
miles down the lake, and at whose house we 
lay this niglit. ^J'he wood-w(n'k of the barracks 
is entirely consumed by fire, but the stone work 
of, the first stories might be easily repaired, and 
one of these barracks might be converted into a 
fine manufactory. The erecting of these barracks 
and the fort must have cost the government 
not less, I dare say, than one hundred thousand 
pounds sterling.^ The lake is narrow opposite 



1 As soon as Ethan Allen had got possession of Ticondcroga and 
secured his prisoners, he dispatched Seth "Warner with a detachment of 
men to seize Crown Point. The distance was only lifteen miles, but a 
strong head wind drove back the boats, and the whole party returned 
the same evening. A day or two afterwards, however, the attempt was 
successfully renewed. The garrison — consisting of eleven men and a 
sergeant— was captured, and sixty-one good cannon, and fifty-three unlit 
for service, were taken —See SjiotI-s's American Bingi'op/n/, vol. i. p. 277. 



80 Journal of Charles Carroll. 

the fort, and makes a bend, by which the 
vessels passing on the hike were mnch exposed 
to the artillery of the fort; and this advan- 
tageous situation first induced the French, and 
then the English, to erect a fort here. The 
French fort was inconsiderable, and close to 
the water; the English fort is a much more 
extensive fortification, and farther from the lake, 
but so as to command it. 

25th. We set off from Faris's at five o'clock 
in the morning. If Faris's information may be 
relied on, his land and the neighboring lands 
are exceedingly fine; — he told us he had reaped 
thirty bushels of wheat from the acre; the soil 
appears to be good; but, to judge of it from 
its appearance, I should not think it so fertile. 
Three miles north of Faris's the lake begins to 
contract itself, and this contraction continues for 
six miles, and is called the narrows. At Faris's 
the lake is about two miles wide. We break- 
fasted in a small cove at a little distance to the 
southward of the Split rock. The Split rock is 
nine miles from Faris's house. At the Split 
rock the lake grows immediately wider as you 
go down it; its width, in this place, can not be 
much short of seven miles. When we had got 
four or five miles from the rock, the wind headed 
us, and blew a fresh gale, which occasioned a 
considerable sAvell on the lake, the wind being 



Journal of Charles Carroll. 81 

northeast, and having a reach of twenty miles. 
We Avere constrained to put in at one McCaul- 
ly's, where we dined on cohl provisions. Tlie 
wind abating about four o'clock, we put oif again 
and rowed seven miles down the lake to a point 
of land a mile or two to the southward of four 
islands called the Four Brothers; these islands 
lie nearly in the middle of the lake, which is 
very wide in this place, and continues so far as 
you can see down it, Mv. Chase and I slept this 
nio-ht on shore under a tent made of bushes. 

2Gtli} AVe set otf this morning at four o'clock 
from the last mentioned point, which I called 
"Commissioners' point." Wind fair; a pretty 
breeze. At five o'clock reached Schuyler's island; 
it contains eight hundred acres, and belongs to 
Montreson, distant seven miles from the Four 
Brothers. Schuyler's island lies near the western 
shore. The lake continues wide; at ten o'clock 
got to Cumberland head, fourteen miles from 
Schuyler's island. Cumberland head is the south 
point of Cumberland bay. The bay forms a deep 
recess on the western side of the lake; its length, 
from Schuyler's island, at the point of land oppo- 
site to it, to Cumberland headdand, is fourteen 



1 On the 2Gth of April, 177G, the President of Congress addressed 
letters to the commissioners, and to General Schuyler, upon the sub- 
ject of the late disturbances in Canada. — See Am. Arch.., vol. v, pp. 
1085, 108G. For the resolutions spoken of, see same volume, p. 1G80. 

11 



82 JouiiNAL OF Charles Carroll. 

miles, and its depth not less than nine or ten 
miles. The wind luekily favored us until we 
reached Cumberland head; it then ceased; — it 
grew cloudy, and soon began to rain, and the 
wind shifted to the north-east. We breakfasted 
at Cumberland head on tea and good biscuit, our 
usual breakfast, having provided ourselves with 
the necessary fnrniture for such a breakfast. As 
soon as it cleared up we rowed across a bay, 
about four miles wide, to Point aux ItocJies, so 
called from the rocks of which it is formed. 
Indeed it is one entire stone wall, fifteen feet 
high, but gradually inclining to the north-east. 
At that extremity it is little above the water. 
Having made a short stay at this place to 
refresh our men, we rowed round the point, 
hugged the western shore, and got into a cove 
which forms a very safe harbor. But the ground 
being low and swampy, and no cedar or hemlock 
trees, of the branches of which our men formed 
their tents at night, we thouglit proper to cross 
over to Isle la Motte, bearing from us about 
north-east, and distant three miles. The island 
is nine miles long and one broad. The south- 
west side of it is high land, and the water is 
deep close in shore, which is rocky and steej^. 
We lay under this shore all night in a critical 
situation, for had the wind blown hard in the 
nisiht, from the west, our boats would probal)ly 



Journal of Charles Carroll. 83 

have bocn stove against the rocks. AVe passed 
the night on board the boats, nnder the awning 
which had been litted np for us. This awning- 
could effectually secure us from the wind and 
rain, and there was space enough under it to 
make up four beds. The beds w^e were provi- 
dent enough to take with us from Philadelphia. 
We found tliem not only convenient and com- 
fortable, but necessary; for, witiiout this precau- 
tion, persons travelling from the colonies into 
Canada at this season of tlie year, or indeed at 
any other, will find themselves obliged either to 
sit up all night, or to lie on the bare ground or 
planks. Several of the islands in Lake Cham- 
plain have different claimants, as patents have 
Ijcen granted by the French government and the 
government of Xew York. According to the 
present division, most of them, indeed all, except 
Isle aux Noiv, are in the colony of New York. 

27th. A fine morning. We left our nation's 
station at four o'clock, and rowed ten miles to 
Point an. Fer, so called from some iron mines 
at no great distance from it; the land here, and 
all tlie adjacent country, is very Hat and low. 
Colonel Christie has built a house at this point, 
which is intended for a tavern; the place is 
judiciously chosen. A small current begins here, 
and the raftsmen are not obliged to row; after 
they l)ring their rafts to Point ate Fc)\ tlie 



84 Joue:n^al of Charles Caeroll. 

current will carry tliem in a clay to St. John's, 
which is distant from this point thirty measured 
miles. Windmill point is three miles below 
Point au Fer ; and, a mile or two below the 
former, runs the line which divides the province 
of Quebec from Ts'ew York. At Windmill point 
the lake begins to contract itself to the size of 
a river, but of a large and deep one. Opposite 
to this point the width can not be much short 
of two miles: six miles below Windmill point 
you meet with a small island called Isle aux 
Tefes: from a number of heads that were stuck 
upon poles by the Indians after a great battle 
that was fought between them on this ii^land, 
or near it. At this island the current is not 
only perceptible, but strong. We went close by 
the island, and in shallow w^ater, which gave us 
a better opportunity of observing the switfness of 
the current. A mile or two below^ this island, 
we breakfasted at a tavern kept by one Stodd. 
At Isle aux Tetes, the river Riclielieu, or St. 
John's, or Sorel (for it goes by all these names), 
may bo properly said to begin. It is in this 
place above a mile wide, deep, and the current 
considerable; — its banks are almost level with 
the water, — indeed, the water appears to be 
rather above the banks; the country is one 
continued swamp, overflowed by the river at 
this season; as you approach St. John's the 



Journal of Charles Carroll. 85 

current grows .stronger. Isle aux JVoLv is half 
way between St. John's and Foint an Fer, and 
consequently fifteen miles from each; we passed 
close by it: it is very level and low, covered 
at the north end with hazel bushes; but the 
land is higher than the banks of the river. ^ 
We saw the intrenchments thrown \\\) by the 
French during the last war, and the remains of 
the pickets driven into the river, quite across to 
the island, to prevent the English boats from 



1 In a letter from Colonel Ethan Allen to congress, on the 2(1 June,' 
1776, he speaks of his expedition as one undertaken at the special en- 
couragement and request of a number of gentlemen in tlie colony of 
Connecticut. After alluding to his successes, he declares that the key 
of Canada is yet ours, and strongly recommends that two or three thou- 
sand men should be pushed into that province, so as to weaken General 
Gage, and insure us the country. He even believed that if he could be 
thus furnished, he would find it no insuperable difficulty to take Quebec. 

If, however, it was thought premature to push an army into Canada, 
he proposed to make a stand at the Isle aux Noix, which had been for- 
tified by the intrenchments of the French during the last war, and had 
greatly fatigued our large army to take it. 

Allen's advice was deemed bold and incautious when given, but events 
afterwards proved that it was characterized by wisdom and forethought. 
If a competent force had been thrown into Canada before the British had 
time to rally their scattered forces, the campaign would have rewarded 
us Avitli success instead of the sad failure that attended the wavering and 
tardy policy pursued by congress in maturing tlie expedition. 

Congress, or the country had, however, at this moment, not yet re- 
solved how far they would enlist the Canadians in the enterprise, and 
could not but have regarded the attack on their French neighbors as 
very much like a distinct war from that undertaken against the British. 
The first effort of the colonies was to secure their own immediate posses- 
sions; the next, to prevent injury to them from such possessions as 
Great Britain might retain. The reader will observe that Mr. Carroll 
fully agreed with Colonel Allen as to the great importance of this mili- 
tary position at the Isle aux Noix. — See Sparks's Am. Blog , vol. ], p. 
283 etscq., ct\i. 287. 



86 JouENAL OF Chaeles Carroll. 

getting down to St, John's. These fortifications 
induced Gen'l Amherst to penetrate into Canada 
by Oswego kdve and the St. Lawrence, rather 
than run the hazard of being stopped at Isle aux 
jV^oLv. Indeed I believe he woukl have found it 
a difficult matter to force his way through this 
pass, which appears to me of great consequence 
in the present contest, should the forces of the 
United Colonies be obliged to evacuate Canada; 
for if we occupy and fortify tliis island, drive 
pickets into the river, and build row galleys, 
and place them behind the pickets, or between 
the little islets formed by the several smaller 
islands, almost contiguous to Ide aux Xoix, the 
enemy wall not be able to penetrate into the 
colonies from Canada by the way of Lake Cham- 
plain. It is certain that Amherst, riither than 
expose himself to the disgrace of being foiled at 
this post, chose to make a roundabout march of 
several hundred leagues, and encounter the rapids 
of the St. Lawrence, by which he lost some of 
his boats and several hundred men.^ Having 

1 General Amiierst left Schenectady in June, 17G0, to join an army 
of four thousand reguhirs and six thousand provincials, who were to 
descend into the heart of the French colony by the St. Lawrence. Mean- 
while General Murray was to approach, Avith two thousand regulars, 
from Quebec, whilst five thousand provincials, under Colonel Haviiand, 
were to penetrate by Lake Champlain. Sir "William Johnson also 
held out a promise of assistance by a large body of Indian allies, of 
whom not more than six hundred accompanied the western army for a 
short distance, and then returned to their villages and hunting grounds. 
Tlie three grand divisions, however, met in tlie neighborhood of 



Journal of Ciiaeles Caeroll. 87 

passed the Me aux JS^oiv, the wind sprang up in 
onr favor; — assisted by the wind and cnrrent, we 
readied 8t. John's at three o'clock. Before I 
speak of this fortress, it may not bo improper to 
make some remarks on the navigation of Lake 
Champhiin, the adjacent conntry, and its appear- 
ance. The navigation appears to be very secnre, 
as there are many ink^ts, coves, and harbors, in 
which snch vessels as will be used on tlie lake 
may at all times lind shelter; the water is deep, 
at least wherever we tonched, close in with the 
land. There are several islands in the lake, the 
most considerable of which we saw; the principal 
is Grand isle, — it deserves the appellation, being, 
as we were informed, twenty-se^en miles long, 
and three or fonr miles wide. Isle la Moife is 
the next largest, and Me de Belle Corir ranks 
after that. Me la Motfe we touched at; the 
others we could plainly distinguish. A\'e saw 
several of the islands on the eastern shore of 
the lake, some of which aj^pear as large as Vo\)- 
lar's island; but having no person on board our 
boats acrpiainted with the lake, m'o could not 

JMontroal, ami drove the enemy's forces into the i.-laiid, when, beiii"- 
surrounded and unable to resist, Alonsieur Vaudrieul, the governor, 
surrendered all Canada to the British on the 8tli of September. It was 
whilst Amherst was proceeding north, on this expedition, that he was 
forced to avoid the French at Isle aux Noix, and thus lost some valua- 
ble troops in the perilous navigation of the St. Lawrence. This result 
confirms Allen's view of the military importance of that island in all 
attacks on Canada. 



88 JouENAL OF Chaeles Caeeoll. 

learn their names. The lake, on an average, 
may be six miles broad; in some places it is 
above fifteen miles wide, particularly about Cum- 
berland bay and Schuyler's island; but in others 
it is not three miles, and in the narrows not 
above a mile and a half, to judge by the eye. 
As you go down the lake, the mountains which 
hem it in on the east and west extend them- 
selves wider, and leave a greater extent of fine 
level land between them and the lake on each 
shore. Some of these mountains are remarkably 
high. In many places, on or near their tops, 
the snow still remains. They form several pic- 
turesque views, and contribute much, in my 
opinion, to the beauty of the lake. The snow 
not dissolving, in their latitude, at the end of 
April, is a proof of their height: — the distance 
at which some of these mountains are A^sible is 
a still stronger proof. Several of them may be 
distinctly seen from Montreal, which can not be 
at a less distance from the most remote than 
seventy or eighty miles, and, I am inclined to 
think, considerably further. If America should 
succeed, and establish liberty throughout this 
part of the continent, I have not the least doubt 
that the lands bordering on Lake Champlain 
will be very valuable in a short time, and that 
great trade will be carried on over Lake Cham- 
plain, between Canada and New^ York, An easy 



JOURA^AL OF ClIAELES CaRROLL. 89 

water coinmuiiication may bo opened, at no great 
expense, (if General Seliuyler be not mistaken,) 
between the cities of Xew York, JNIontreal, and 
Quebec, and several other places in Canada. 
BiclieHeu^ or Sorel river, from Isle aux Tetes to 
St. John's, would be esteemed a large river even 
in Maryland. The navigation of it between those 
places is good, for the current is not so strong 
as not to be stemmed with oars, or a wind. At 
St. John's the current is very rapid, and con- 
tinues so, sometimes more, sometimes less, to 
Chamblay, — distant twelve miles from St. John's. 
Opposite St. John's, I think the river is half a 
mile wide. 

The fortifications of St. John's Avere not injured 
by the siege; — they consist of earth ramparts, 
enclosed by a ditch filled with water; palisadoes, 
closely joined together, are fastened at the base 
of the ramparts, and confined by the weight of 
them projecting half way oxqy the ditch, to pre- 
vent an escalade. There are, properly speaking, 
two forts, built around some bouses, which were 
converted into magazines and barracks; — the 
communication Ijctween the two is secured by a 
strong enclosure of large stakes driven deep into 
the ground, and as close as they can stand 
together. A ditch runs along this fence. The 
houses within the forts suffered much from our 
batteries wliicli surrounded tlie forts, l)ut tlie 
12 



90 Journal of Cpiaeles Carroll. 

cannon was not heavy enough to make any 
impression on the works. AVant of ammunition 
and provisions, and the inclemency of the season, 
obliged the garrison to surrender; for the sol- 
diers were constrained to hide themselves in the 
cellars, which are bomb-proof, or lie behind the 
mounds of earth thrown up within the forts, 
exposed to the severity of the cold and rains, or 
run the risk of having their brains beaten out in 
the houses by our shot, or by a fragment of the 
walls and timbers, and bursting of the bombs. 
As you i>"o down the river from Point ait Fer to 
St. John's, you have a distant and beautiful pros- 
pect of the mountains on either side of the lake. 
After passing Isle caix KoLv^ you have a line 
view of the mountain of Chamblay, on the top 
of which is a lake stored with excellent trout 
and perch. Having despatched a messenger to 
Montreal for carriages for ourselves and baggage, 
we crossed the river to go to a tavern on the 
east side of the river, about a mile from the 
fort. The house belongs to Colonel Hazen, and 
has greatly suifered by the neighborhood of the 
troops. There is scarcely a whole pane of glass 
in the house, the window-shutters and doors are 
destroyed, and the hinges stolen; in short, it 
appears a perfect wreck. This tavern is kept by 
a French woman, married to one Donaho, now a 
prisoner in Pennsylvania. 



Journal of Charles Carroll. 91 

2Sth. We remained at Colonel Ilazen's house. 
Several batteaux with troops arrived this day and 
yesterday evening from Ticonderoga, and most of 
them fell down the ri^•er this day to Chamblay. 
The land appears to ho very fertile, and well 
adapted to pasture; the grass began to grow fast, 
although the frost was not then out of the ground, 
the surface only being thawed.^ 

30fJi. Left Colonel Ilazen's house; crossed over 
to St. Jolm's, where we found our caleches ready 
to receive us. After an hour's stay spent in get- 
ting our baggage into the carts, and securing the 
remainder, — which, for want of carts, we were 
obliged to leave behind us, — we set otf from St. 
John's for La Frfa'n'e, distant eighteen miles. I 
never travelled through worse roads, or in worse 
carriages. The country is one continued plain 
from St. John's to La I^rairie, and two-thirds of 
the way uncultivated, though deser\'ing the high- 
est cultivation. About Hvo or six miles from Lja 
Prairie you meet with houses and ploughed lands, 
interspersed with meadows, wliicli extend as far 
as you can see; — all this tract of land is capable 
of beins: turned into tine meadow, and when the 
country bocomes more populous, and enjoys a 
good government, I doubt not it will 1)3 all 

1 Imm3diately on the arrival of tho commissioners at IMontrcal, Mr. 
John Carroll addressed a letter to his mother, dated 1st May, giving an 
interesting account of their journey to Canada. The reader will find it 
in the American Archives, vol. v, p. 11-38. 



92 JouEXAL OF Charles Carroll. 

drained and made into excellent meadow or pastn- 
rage. Witliont draining, it will Ijc impossible to 
cnltivate it in any way. You liave no view of 
the St. Lawrence, or of Montreal, until you come 
within three or four miles of La Prairie. At La 
Prairie the view of the town and the river, and 
the island of Montreal, together with the houses 
on the eastern side of the vSt. Lawrence, form a 
beautiful prospect. As far as the view extends 
down the river, you discern houses on either side 
of it, which are not divided from each other by 
more than four acres, and commonly by not more 
than two. From La Prairie you go slanting 
down the river to Montreal; this passage is com- 
puted six miles, though the river, in a direct 
line across from the eastern shore to the town, 
is not more than three miles. Shij^s of three 
hundred tons can come up to Montreal; but they 
can not get up above the town, or even abreast 
of it. The river where we crossed is filled with 
rocks and shoals, which occasion a very rapid 
current in several places. We were received 
by General Arnold, on our landing, in the 
most polite and friendly manner; conducted to 
headquarters, where a genteel company of ladies 
and gentlemen had assembled to welcome our 
arrival. As we went from the landing place to 
the general's house, the cannon of the citadel 
fired in compliment to us as the commissioners 



JouRXAL OF Charles Carroll. 93 

of congress. We supped at tliat general's, and 
after supper were conducted, by the general and 
other gentlemen, to our lodgings, — the house of 
Mr. Thomas Walker, — the best built, and per- 
haps the best furnished in this town.^ 

May 11th. Dr. Franklin left Montreal to-day 
to go to St. John's, and from thence to congress. 
The doctor's declining state of health, and the 
bad prospect of our atfairs in Canada, uiade him 
take this resoUition.^ 

1 See Arnold's letter to Schuyler, ISIontreal, April 30, 1776. — Archives, 
vol. V, p. 1155. And see also, Commissioners' letter to Congress, dated 
Montreal, 1 May, 1770, with the memorandum of the council of war as 
to fortifying Jaques Cartier and the falls of Richelieu, and the building 
of six gondolas. — Arncriccni A7-c/iivcs, vol. v, p. 1100. 

2 Dr. Franklin's health (as he liad predicti'd at the outset) was im- 
paired by the hardships of this journey. After being a fortniglit at 
Montreal, he set out homewards with ]\[r. John Carroll, who after- 
Avards became the first Roman Catholic Archbishoji of the United 
States. "With some difficulty they reached Albany, whence they came 
to New York in a private carriage furnished by General Schuyler. 

In a letter, dated at New York on the 27th of May, he thanks Gen- 
eral Schuyler and his wife for their attention to his coniforts; and is 
glad that he did not pursue his original intention of taking the general's 
sulky and driving over the stones and gullies, in which he should proba- 
bly have overset and broken his bones. 

In a letter of the same date, '■ to the Commissioners in Canada," he 
informs his friends of his arrival, and rather petulantly says that they 
''left Mrs. Walker with her husband at Albany, from whence we came 
down by land. We passed him on Lake Champlain ; but he, returning, 
overtook ns at Saratoga, ivhcn tJicy both took such liheriies in iaiiniiny at 
our conduct in Canada, that it came almost to a quarrel. We continued 
our care of her, however, and landed her safe in Albany, with her three 
wagon loads of baggage, brought thither without putting her to any ex- 
pense, and parted civilly though coldly. I think they both have an excel- 
lent talent at making themselves enemies, and I believe, live where they 
will, they ivill never be long withmit them." The Walkers are probably 
the family alluded to in the journal on the 29th of Maj-. — Works of 
Franllin, vol. i, p. 404, and vol. viii, pp. 182, 183, Sparks's edition. 



94 Journal of Charles Carroll. 

Ii2th. We set off from Montreal to go to La 
Prairie. Mr. John Carroll went to join Dr. 
Franklin at St. John's, from whence they sailed 
the 13th. ^ 

IStli. I went to St. John's to examine into 
the state of that garrison, and of the batteaux. 
There I met with General Thompson and Colonel 
Sinclair, with part of Thompson's brigade. That 
evening I went with them down the Sorel to 
Chamblay. Major Wood and myself remained 
in the boat when we got to St. Therese, Avhere 
the rapids begin and continne, Avith some inter- 
ruptions, to Chamblay. Flat bottomed boats may 
go down these rapids in the spring of the year, 
wdien the water is high; — even a large gondola 
passed down them this spring; but it would be 
very difficult, if not impossible, to bring a gon- 
dola up against the stream. I much question 
whether the batteaux could be brought up; cer- 
tain it is that the labor of towing them up, or 
setting them up the current with setting poles, 



1 Franklin did not forget the kind attentions of the Rev. John Carroll 
during this journey; nor did he fail to appreciate the virtues and intel- 
lectual cultivation of that excellent clergyman. The following extract 
from the doctor's private journal at Passy in 1784, shows that ho thought 
of him constantly, and pressed his claims for the highest dignity of the 
church in our confederacy. 

^' July 1st, {17S4.) — The pope's nuncio called, and acquainted me that 
the pope had, on my recommendation, appointed Mr. John Carroll supe- 
rior of the Catholic clergy in America, with many powers of bishop; 
and. that, probably, he would be made a bishop, in pai-libus, before the 
end of the year."— See Works of Franklin, vol. i, p. 581, Sparks's edition. 




s'-'-J- ' 



iTDffiST ® i\.Si M :«) IL a . a) . a> 



JOURXAL OF ClIAELES CaEROLL. 95 

would be greater, and take much more time, 
than carting them over the carrying phice from 
Chambhiy to within three miles of St. Therese. 
All our batteaux which shoot the rapids anel 
o'o down the Sorel to Chamblav and that are 
brought up again to St. John's, are carted over 
the carrying place on frames constructed for the 
purpose. It was proposed by some to bring a 
f/ondola, built at Cliamblay, over land three miles 
into the Sorel, three miles below St. Therese; 
others were of opinion it could be more easily 
towed up over the rapids. ChamlJaij fort is a 
large square stone building, with square towers 
at each angle, a place intended only as a protec- 
tion a£>"ainst the savages. I saw^ the holes made 
by a six pounder, when it was taken by Major 
Brown. Major Statford might have held out 
against the force which besieged him at least for 
some days, in which time he would probably 
have been relieved by Carleton. But, by Carle- 
ton's subsequent behaviour, when he made an 
attempt to go to the relief of St. John's, I 
much question whether he would have taken 
more etfectual measures to rescue Statford. The 
taking of Cliamblay occasioned the taking of St. 
John's; against the latter we should not have 
succeeded without the six tons of gunpowder 
taken in the former. 



96 Journal of Charles Carroll. 

14th. I returned to Montreal by La Prairie; 
the country between Chamblay and La Prairie 
is extremely tine and level, aboundins; witli most 
excellent meadow-ground as you approacli the St. 
Lawrence, with rich arable land round about 
Chamblay. The country lying between the St. 
Lawrence and the Sorel is the best part of 
Canada, and j^i'^^^l^^ces the most and best wdieat. 
In the year 1771 four hundred and seventy-one 
thousand bushels of wheat were exported out of 
Canada, of which two-thirds, it is computed, were 
made in the Sorel district.^ 

21st This day Mr. Chase set off with me for 
the mouth of the Sorel; we embarked from 
Montreal in one of our batteaux, and went in 
it as far as the point of land on the north shore 
of the St. Lawrence, opposite to the northern 
extremity of the Island of Montreal; here, the 
wind being against us, w^e took post and travelled 
on the north side of the St. Lawrence as low 
down as La Kore, where wo got into a canoe, 
and were paddled down and across the St. Law- 
rence to our camp at the mouth of the Sorel; — 
it was a perfect calm, the distance is computed 
at nine miles. The country on each side the St. 



1 The commissioners wrote to congress from Montreal on the 8th of 
May.— Sec American Archives, vol. v, p. 1237. On May 10th from same 
place. — See American Archives, vol. vi, p. 450. And again on the ICth 
May.— 7(L p. 482. 



Journal of Charles Carroll. 97 

Lawrence is le^el, rich, and thickly seated; in- 
deed, so thickly seated, that the houses form 
almost one continued row. In going from La 
Nore to the mouth of the Sorel, wo passed by 
Brown's battery (as it is called), although it 
never had a cannon mounted on it. To this 
battery without cannon, and to a single gondola, 
ten or twehe vessels, under the command of 
Colonel Prescott, surrendered. Major Brown, 
when the vessels came near to his battery, sent 
an officer on board requesting Prescott to send 
another on shore to view his works. It is diffi- 
cult to determine which was greatest, the impu- 
dence of BroAvn in demanding ^ surrender, or 
the cowardice of the officer who, going back to 
Prescott, represented the difficulty of passing the 
battery so great and hazardous, that Prescott and 
all his officers cliose to capitulate. Brown re- 
quested the officer who went on shore to wait 
a little until he saw the two thirty-two pounders, 
which were within a half a mile, coming from 
Chamblay; — says he, ''If you should chance to 
escape this battery, which is my small battery, I 
have a grand battery at the mouth of the Sorel, 
which will infallibly sink all your vessels." His 
grand battery was as badly provided with cannon 
as his little battery, for not a single gun was 
mounted on either. This Prescott treated our 
prisoners with great insolence and lunitality. His 
13 



98 Journal of Charles Carroll. 

behaviour ju.stilies the oUl observation, that cow- 
ards are generally cruel. V^ g found the dis- 
cipline of our camp very remiss, and every thing 
in confusion; — General Thomas had but lately 
resigned the command to Thompson, by whose 
activity things were soon put on a better footing. 
J^Sd. We left our camp and travelled by land 
alono- the eastern bank of the Sorel. At five or 
six miles from the mouth of the Sorel the coun- 
try grows rich, and continues so all the way to 
Chamblay. jS^ear the mouth of the river it is 
very sandy. This part of the country is very 
populous, the villages are large and neat, and 
joined together by a continued range of single 
houses, chiefly farmers' houses. These are the 
rich men in Canada: the seignieiirs are in general 
poor. They were constrained by the ordinances 
of the king of France to lease their lands for 
ever, reserving two dollars for every ninety acres, 
and some other trifling perquisites, as tolls for 
grinding wheat; the tenants being obliged to have 
their wheat ground at their seignieurs' mills. It 
is conjectured that the farmers in Canada can 
not be possessed of less than a million sterling, 
in specie; — they hoard up their money to portion 
their children; — they neither let it out at interest, 
nor expend it in the purchase of lands. Before 
we left the camp we ordered a detachment up 
to Montreal, under the command of Colonel De 



Journal of Charles Carroll. 99 

Haas, consisting of near four lumdred men, to 
reinforce General Arnold, and, in conjunction, to 
drive off a party of the eighth regiment, who, 
with three hundred and fifty savages, and some 
Canadians, had taken our post at the Cedars, 
through the cowardice of Major Butterfield,^ and 
liad advanced, on the 2oth instant, within fifteen 
miles of Montreal. 

23d. We got early this morning to Chamblay, 
wdiere we found all things in much confusion, 
extreme disorder, and negligence, our credit sunk, 
and no money to retrieve it with. We were 
obliged to pay three silver dollars for tlie car- 
riage of three barrels of gunpowder from Little 
Cliambhiy river to Longueil, tlie officer who com- 
manded the guard not having a sina'le shillina-. 

24th. Colonel De Haas's detachment got into 
Montreal this evening; the day before, we also 
arrived there, having crossed the St. Lawrence 
in a canoe from Longueil. 

2oth. In the evening of this day Colonel De 
Haas's detachment marched out of Montreal to 
join General Arnold at La Chine; they were 

1 Arnold liad loft Quebec on account of liis suffering from a severe 
wound, but more probably in consequence of his jealousy and discontent 
with General Wooster. At Montreal he was again in command, and, 
for the results of his course after the disaster at tbe Cedars, the reader 
is referred to his life, in Sjiarks's American Biography, vol. iii, p. 5G, 
et seq. 

At the Cedars, nearly four hundred men surrendered, by a disgraceful 
capitulation, and a hundred more were barbarously murdered bv savao-es. 



100 Journal of Ciiaeles Caeeoll. 

detained from want of many necessarie-s, which 
we Avere obliged to procure for them, General 
Wooster being without money, or pretending to 
be so.^ The enemy, hearing from our enemies 
in Montreal, of this reinforcement, had retreated 
precipitately to Fort St. Anne's, at the southern 
extremity of the Island of Montreal, and from 
thence had crossed over to Quinze Chiens, on the 
north side of the St. Lawrence. 

20tk We left Montreal this day at three 
o'clock,'-^ to go to Chamblay, to be present at a 

1 In a letter from the Commissioners to Congress, dated at Montreal 
on the 27th May, '76, they deal witli General Wooster in unmeasured 
terms. "General Thomas," they say, "is now at Chamblay under the 
small-pox. Being taken with that disorder, he left the camp at Sorel, 
and wrote to General Wooster to come and take command. When the 
interest of our country and the safety of your army are at stake, wo 
think it very improper to conceal our sentiments, either with regard to 
persons or things. General Wooster is, in our opinion, unfit — totally 
unfit — to command your army and conduct the war. We have, hitherto, 
prevailed on him to remain in Montreal. His stay in this colony is 
unnecessary, and even prejudicial to our affairs. We would therefore 
humbly advise his recall." — BIS. letter in the State department at Wash- 
ington. It is published by Mr. Force in the sixth volume of the American 
Archives, at p. 589. 

Wooster requested an inquiry into his conduct as commander of the 
forces in Canada. The matter Avas referred by congress to a committee, 
Avhich, upon full investigation, declared that nothing censurable appeared 
against him. — See Journals of Congress, August 17th, 1776. He resigned 
his commission in the continental army, and was api)ointed first major- 
general of the Connecticut militia. — Sec Sparks' s Life and Writings of 
Washington, vol. iii, p. 412, in note. 

Wooster was killed in 1777, in a spirited action between the Con- 
necticut troops and the English force under Governor Tryon, near 
Danbury. 

2 See letter from the Commissioners to Congress, dated 27 May, 177G, 
in the sixth volume of American Archives, p. 590. This is their last 
letter from Canada, and is very valuable, as containing a very full 
report of the state of affairs in that province, and the condition of the 
armv. It has been frcelv extractel IVum in the intruduelory memoir. 



Journal of Charles Carroll. 101 

council of war of the generals and field-officers, 
for concerting- the operations of the campaign. 

oOfli. The council of war was held this day, 
and determined to maintain possession of the 
country between the St. Lawrence and Sorel, if 
possible; — in the meantime to dispose matters so 
as to make an orderly retreat out of Canada. 

31st Set oif from Chamblay for St. John's;— 
all things there in confusion: — slept at Mrs. 
Donaho's. 

June 1st. Crossed over this morning to St. 
John's, where General Sulli\an, with fourteen 
hundred men, had arrived in the night of the 
31st past; saw them all under arms. It began 
to rain at nine o'clock, and continued raining 
very hard until late in the evening; — slept at 
Donaho's. 

2d. Crossed over again to the camp; took lea^'c 
of General Sullivan, and sailed from St. John's 
at six this morning, with a fair wind; — got to 
Point an Fcr at one o'clock; — got to Cumberland 
head about se^-en o'clock, P. ]M.; set off from 
thence about nine, and rowed all night. We 
divided our boat's crew into two watches, 

3d. Breakfasted at Willsborough; rowed on 
and received despatches by JNIajor Hickes; got 
to Crown Point half-past six o'clock, P. ]\r. Set 
off at eight, rowed all night, and arrived at one 
o'clock in the night at Ticonderoga, where we 
found General Srhuvler. 



102 Journal of Charles Carroll. 



ith. Set off this mornina' at five with General 



■H^ 



n 



Schuyler, for Skeenesboroiigli, and got there by 
two o'clock. The lake, as you approach Skeenes- 
borough, grows narrower and shallower; indeed, 
within five or six miles of Skeenesborough, it has 
all the appearance of a river. We hauled our 
batteau over the carrying place at Skeenesbo- 
rough into AYood creek. This carrying place is 
not above three hundred feet across; a lock may 
be made for two hundred pounds at Skeenes- 
borough, by which means a continued naviga- 
tion would bo effected for batteaux from one 
Chesshire's into Lake Champlain. Major Skeenc 
has built a saw-mill, grist mill, and a forge at 
the entrance of Wood creek into Lake Cham- 
plain. Set oft' from Skeenesborough at four 
o'clock, rowed up AVood creek ten miles, to one 
Boyle's, here we lay all night on board our boat. 
Sth. Set off at three in the morning, and con- 
tinued rowing up the creek to one Chesshire's. 
This man lives near Fort Ann, built by Governor 
Nicholson in 1709. The distance from Skeenes- 
borough to Chesshire's, is twenty-two miles, — by 
land, fourteen only; from this it appears that 
Wood creek has many windings, in fact, I never 
saw a more serpentine river. The navigation is 
somewhat obstructed by trees drifted and piled 
across the creek; however, we met with little 
difficulty but in one place, Avhere Ave were obliged 



JouENAL OF Charles Caeroll. 103 

to quit our boat, and carry it tlirougli a narrow 
gut, which was soon performed by our crew. 
Two hundred men woukl clear this creek and 
remove every obstruction in six days' time. This 
measure has been recommended by the commis- 
sioners to congress, and congress has com2:)lied 
with the recommendation, and orders will soon 
be given to General Schuyler to clear it, and 
render the navigation easy. 

I set otf with General Schuyler, on foot, from 
Chesshire's, at one o'clock; Avalkcd seven miles, 
and then met horses coming from Jones's to 
us. Jones's house is distant nine miles from 
Chesshire's. AVe dined at Jones's, and rode, 
after dinner, to Fort Edward; — the distance is 
computed four miles ;^Mr. Chase joined us 
this evening. lie took the lower road and was 
obliged to walk part of the way. 

Gtli. Parted with General Schuyler this morn- 
ing; he returned to Fort George on Lake George. 
AVe rode to Saratoga, where we got by seven 
o'clock, but did not find the amiable family at 
home. AA'e were constrained to remain here all 
this day, waiting the arrival of our servants 
and bao'o-ao-e. 

7tli: Our servants and baggage being come up, 
we left Saratoga this morning at nine; took boat 
and went down Hudson's river, through all the 
rapids, to Albany. The distance is computed 



104 Journal of Charles Carroll. 

thirty-six miles. V\q arrived at Albany half an 
hour past five. At six o'clock Ave set off for JNTew 
York in a sloop: which avc luckily found ready 
to sail; got that evening and night twenty-four 
miles from Albany. 

Sth. Found ourselves, this morning, twenty-four 
miles from Albany; — at seven in the morning- 
wind breezed up, had a fine gale, and got below 
the highlands; — a very great run. 

9th. Arrived at ;N"ew York at one o'clock, P. M.; 
Waited on General Washington at Motier's; — 
saw Generals Gates and Putnam, and my old 
acquaintance and friend, Mr. JNIoylan. About 
six o'clock in the evening got into General Wash- 
ington's barge, in company with Lord Stirling,^ 
and was rowed round by Staten Island and the 
Kilns, within two miles of Elizabeth-town, where 
wo got by ten at night. 

10th. Set off from Elizabeth-town half-past five. 
Got to Bristol at eight o'clock, P. M.: — at nine, 
embarked in our boats, and were rowed down 
the Delaware to Philadelphia, where we arrived 
at two o'clock in the nioht. 



1 Lord Stirling was a brigadier-general in the American army, and 
stationed at New York, where he had command for a short time, after 
the departure of General Lee. — See Was h'mg ion's Writings, vol. iii, p. 
318; and FrankluVs Writings, vol. viii, p. 180, note, [Sparks's Edition.) 
On the 27th of March, 1776, Franklin had apprised him by letter of the 
proposed journey to Canada, and desired him to procure lodgings for the 
party in New York, as well as to engage a sloop to take them up the river 
to Albany. 



AUTOBIOGRAPHIC SKETCH 



CHARLES CARROLL OF CARROLLTON. 



Ou the 28th of July, 1816, Mr. Joseph Dehaplaine, editor and 
publisher at that time of " The Repository," wrote to ]V[r. Carroll 
thanking him for his consent to sit to Mr. King-, the artist, for a 
portrait which Mr. Delaplaine desired to have. At the conclu- 
sion of his letter, which fills the first side of a quarto sheet, the 
writer adds: "I beg you, Sir, to furnish me with a few facts of 
your Life — Birth — Parentage — Education — Offices — Profession — 
Correspondence with General Washington, and any facts you 
may be pleased to furnish." 

On the receipt of this, Mr. Carroll, then near entering on his 
eightieth year, — turned over the first page of this letter, and on 
the two inner pages, set down, in a clear but slightly trembling- 
hand, the following draft, which is preserved in my collection of 
Letters of the Signers of the Declaration of Lidependence. 



14 lOo 



106 Autobiographic Sketch. 



" DouGHORAGAN, 21 Aug., ISIO. 
" Sir: 

"I received this day j-our letter of the 2Sth past, and the first 
half volume of your Repository, for which I hope my agent Mr. 
James N'eilson, in Baltimore, has accounted with your agent Mr. 
rhilsou. My letter of Gth instant in answer to Mr. King's of the 
29th July, informed him I should be in Baltimore about the 20th 
December and remain there during the winter, when I will sit to 
him for my portrait at any place in that city he may appoint. 

"I was born at Annapolis in September, lt3t; on the 18th of 
next month I shall enter into my 80th year. I was sent by my 
father when about II years of age to St. Omer's for my educa- 
tion, where I remained about G years ; from thence I went, by his 
direction, to a College at Rheims, and after remaining at that 
College a year, [ went to the Col%ge of Louis le Grand at Paris; 
in all of these Colleges the students were taught by the Jesuites. 

"In 1758 or 1*159, I went to England and studied law in the 
Inner Temple 3 or 4 years, not with a professional view; and 
returned to my native country in 11G5, after an absence of about 
18 years. 

" On the breaking out of our revolution I took a decided part 
in support of the rights of this country; was elected a member 
of the Committee of Safety established by the legislature ; was a 
member of the Convention which formed the constitution of this 
State. The journals of Congress will show how long I was a 
member of that body during the revolution. 

"With Dr. Franklin and Mr. Samuel Chase, I was appointed 
a Commissioner to Canada. I was elccled a member of the 
Senate at the first session of Congress under the present Con- 



Autobiographic Sketch. 107 

federation : — tliougli well acquainted with General Washington, 

and I flatter myself in his confidence, — few letters passed 

between us ; one, having- reference to the opposition made to the 
Treaty concluded by Mr. Jay, has been repeatedly published in 
the newspapers, and perhaps you may have seen it; that letter 
is no longer in my possession. 

"My Grandfather came to Maryland in the year preceding the 
revolution in England, terminated by the dethronement of James 
the Second. My mother was daughter of Mr. Clement Brooke, 
a gentleman of respectable family in Prince George's County. — ■ 
I have given you, Sir, iu compliance with your request, all the 
Incidents of my public life and of my education, and remain, with 
respect, 

"Y' most hum: Serv' 
"Charles Carroll op Carrollton." 

The letter from Mr. Delaplaine before referred to, on the inner 
pages of which the above was written, is endorsed in ]Mr. Car- 
roll's handwriting: , ; 

"ISIG: August 28 
"Joseph Delaplaine's Letter: 
"received the 21 August and answered same day: 
"see my answer within." 

This particularity is interesting as showing the promptness 
with which Mr, Carroll always attended to business, and espe- 
cially to his correspondence, many specimens of which are iu my 
possession. Another interesting biographical scrap in my col- 
lection, is contained in an envelope endorsed by Mr. Carroll's 



108 Autobiographic Sketch. 

father: "A Character of my Son: By Mr. Jenison his Mas- 
ter;" beneath which the modest son has written: 

"I fear this letter was dictated by Mr. Jenison's partiality to 
me. I never found till this day (27th July, 1782) that he ever 
wrote to my Father about me." 

The character is as follows : 

" Tho' I am not in a disposition of Writing Letters, having lost 
this morning the finest young man, in every respect, that ever 
enter'd the House, you w^ill, perhaps, afterwards, have the plea- 
sure of assuring yourself by experience that I've not exaggerated 
Charles Carroll's character in the foregoing lines. The Captain 
will be able to give you, I hope, a satisfactory account of him. 
'Tis very natural I should regret the loss of one who during 
the whole time he was under my care, never deserv'd, on any 
account, a single harsh word, and whose sweet temper rendered 
him equally agreeable both to equals and superiors, without 
ever making him degenerate into the mean character of a 
favorite which he always justly despis'd. His application to 
his Book and Devotions was constant and unchangeable, nor 
could we perceive the least difference in his conduct even after 
having read the news of his destination, which, you know, is 
very usual with young people here. This short character I owe 
to his deserts; — prejudice, I am convinc'd, has no share in it, as 
I find the public voice confirms ray private sentiments. Both 
inclination and justice prompt me to say more, yet I rather 
chuse to leave the rest to Captain Carroll to inform you of by 
word of mouth." 

BRANTZ MAYER, 

Editor. 



LETTER FROM REV'D JOHN CARROLL 

(Afterwards Archbishop of Baltimore) 

TO CHARLES CARROLL, Esq. 

Father of Charles Carroll of Carrollton. 



" PiilLADELPiirA, June .?d, 1770. 

"Hon:^ D'- S"- 

" I arrived at this place tlie clay before yesterday in company 
with Dr. Franklin. Consin Charles and Mr. Chace left Montreal 
with me on the 12th of May, that they might not be in any danger 
from a frig-ate running up the River and getting between them 
and the Eastern shore of S. Lawrence. As Dr. Franklin deter- 
mined to return to Philadeli)hia, on account of his health, I 
resolved to accompany him, seeing it was out of my power (o 
be of any service after the Commissioners had thought it advisa- 
ble for them to leave Montreal. Your Son and Mr. Chace pro- 
posed staying at S. John's or in that neighbourhood, till they 
should know whether our army would keep post at De Cham- 
beau; and the former desired me to give you notice of his being 
safe and well. Since I left him it has not been in my power to 
do it before this day, as we unfortunately chanced to come to 
every post town on our road sometimes a day, sometimes a {qw 
hours too late for the mail. When I left him he expected to 

109 



110 Letter from Rev. Joiix Carroll. 

follow us in a few days : but Mr. Hancock tells me that if an 
express sent some days since from Congress, readies them before 
they have left Canada, he is of opinion they will continue there 
for some time. I shall set out from hence, next week and pro- 
pose doing myself the pleasure of calling at Elk-ridge. My aff" 
and respectful compP to Mrs. Darnall and Carroll with love to 
Policy. Nothing new from Canada, nor indeed any advices at all 
since we left it. Great divisions here between the contending 
parties. I have presumed to trouble you to forward the inclosed 
and remain 

"IIon"D^S^ 
" Y' aff" kinsman and hum Scv' 

"J. Carroll." 

"Ten tons of powder, 

"500 small arms came in yesterday. 

"Cos" Charles rece' large packets of letters from you a few 
days before we left Montreal." 

" To Charles Carroll Sen^ Esq'^ 

" to the care of M^ W" Lux 
" Baltimore 
"free J. Carroll."' 

1 Original MS. in the Archives of iho Maryland Historical Society. 






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